Carbon Sequestration: Behind the Tech Vital to Net Zero

What is carbon sequestration?

Carbon sequestration refers to the process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere to reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. This is instrumental in slowing global climate change — as well as its disastrous effects.

This can naturally occur biologically or geologically, with artificial sequestration including innovative technologies such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and direct air capture and storage (DACS).

Under the IEA Sustainable Development Scenario, carbon capture technologies play an important role in supporting modern and flexible power systems, with the agency also advocating for its necessity in achieving goals that will limit global warming to well below 2°C. The latest statistics suggest that the capture capacity of operational carbon capture and storage (CCS) facilities worldwide increased from 28MtCO₂ per year in 2014 to around 50MtCO₂ in 2024, representing a significant leap.

Companies leading carbon capture paving way to net zero

So, just who is leading in the carbon capture space? Climework’s Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology removes CO₂ from the air, with the company saying it works to empower people and companies to fight global warming by offering carbon dioxide removal as a service. 

The LEGO Group is in a long-term US$2.4m agreement with Climeworks, using its permanent carbon removal services.

Annette Stube, CSO at the LEGO Group, says: “We want children to inherit a healthy planet – and we’re determined to play our part in making that happen. To succeed we must take action to drive systemic change.

“Climeworks technology, as part of a varied programme of initiatives, can help us and society as a whole realise the net-zero future that is needed to protect our planet for generations to come.”

Climeworks also partners with Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (HBC) in Switzerland, providing it with air-captured CO₂ to carbonate its sparkling Valser water — making it the first CO₂-neutral water in the country.

This means Climeworks is not only removing CO₂ from the atmosphere, but ensuring it is reused in an industry where CO₂ plays a key role in drink carbonation, dispensing and packaging.

Joining Climeworks at the forefront of the carbon capture space is Carbon Clean.

Setting out to revolutionise industrial carbon capture, Carbon Clean has been driving the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate industries for more than 15 years. It works with Malaysian multinational oil and gas company PETRONAS on the integration of Carbon Clean’s innovative CycloneCC solution — which has the potential to reduce the total installed cost of carbon capture by up to 50% compared to conventional solutions — into its operations.

Chart Industries’ Earthly Labs is on a mission to capture and avoid a billion metric tons of carbon dioxide, working to keep the planet cool by capturing, purifying, recycling and avoiding the release of carbon dioxide emissions.

Earthly Labs was selected to join the ABInBev 100+ sustainability accelerator and has since deployed its CiCi systems — which allow customers to affordably capture CO₂ — at craft breweries throughout the US.

Founder and CEO Amy George says: “Chart has been part of our technology solution since our inception and they are a global leader in CO₂ cryogenic storage. Their investment brings more than capital to Earthly Labs and will accelerate our ability to serve the exponentially growing global market demand for small-scale carbon capture solutions.”

Panel 1: Natural sequestration

Natural sequestration refers to the Earth's natural processes that capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and plays as crucial a role in mitigating climate change by removing excess CO₂ from the air as artificial approaches.

Forests are one of the most significant natural carbon sinks. Through photosynthesis, trees absorb CO₂ and store it in their biomass and the surrounding soil. Mature forests can sequester large amounts of carbon, with tropical rainforests being particularly effective.

Oceans also absorb significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere — about a quarter of the CO₂ released into the atmosphere each year. Phytoplankton in the upper layers of the ocean capture carbon through photosynthesis, while deeper waters store dissolved CO₂.

Wetlands — including peatlands and mangroves — are also efficient when it comes to sequestering carbon. Despite covering only a small percentage of the Earth’s surface, they store disproportionately large amounts of carbon in their soils.

Grasslands and savannas are other areas that contribute to natural sequestration. This is done by primarily storing carbon in extensive root systems and soil.

That being said, soil itself is a significant carbon reservoir, containing more carbon than the atmosphere and all plant life combined. Proper land management practices can enhance soil's capacity to sequester carbon.

While natural sequestration is a powerful tool in combating climate change, the ecosystems that facilitate it themselves are under threat from human activities and the increasing effects of climate change.

Panel 2: Artificial sequestration

Artificial sequestration refers to a set of engineered processes designed to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or capture it at the source of emission. This approach is growing in popularity and becoming increasingly important in the fight against climate change, complementing natural methods.

DAC is one of the more prominent types of this technology, using large fans to draw air into a collector system, where CO₂ is then extracted through chemical processes. The captured CO₂ can then be stored underground or used in various applications.

Carbon capture from industrial sources is another key approach, where CO₂ emissions from power plants, cement factories and other industrial facilities are captured before they enter the atmosphere.

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) combines biomass energy production with CCS technology. Plants absorb CO₂ as they grow and, when used for energy, emissions are captured and stored — potentially resulting in negative emissions.

These technologies have shown promise and have accelerated the success and potential of carbon sequestration. Cost continues to be a hurdle, however, along with energy requirements and scalability, with hopes that ongoing research and development will improve efficiency and viability.

To read the full article in the magazine, click HERE.

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