#carbon dioxide capture

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Capturing and storing the carbon dioxide humans produce is key to lowering atmospheric greenhouse gases and slowing global warming, but today's carbon capture technologies work well only for concentrated sources of carbon, such as power plant exhaust. The same methods cannot efficiently capture carbon dioxide from ambient air, where concentrations are hundreds of times lower than in flue gases. Yet direct air capture, or DAC, is being counted on to reverse the rise of CO2 levels, which have reached 426 parts per million (ppm), 50% higher than levels before the Industrial Revolution. Without it, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we won't reach humanity's goal of limiting warming to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) above preexisting global averages.

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[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Canary Media:

Travertine Technologies, a Colorado-based climate tech company, is building a multi-million dollar demonstration plant alongside a metals refining facility near Rochester, New York. The plant will recycle discarded gypsum to make sulfuric acid while removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

For the project, Travertine is partnering with Sabin Metal Corp., a precious metals refiner and recycler. Travertine’s new demo plant will take gypsum — a mineral that can be used in anything from fertilizer to building materials — that is sitting near Sabin’s facility and turn it into sulfuric acid using the carbon dioxide it traps through direct air capture. Travertine will then sell the sulfuric acid to Sabin to use in its metallurgical processing.

When she founded the company in 2022, Travertine CEO Laura Lammers initially planned to build a low-cost, scalable, and permanent method for trapping carbon dioxide. But in talking with lithium miners, she realized waste from the industry could be used to permanently store the greenhouse gas, she told Canary Media.

That proposition is particularly interesting in that it could simultaneously serve to recycle waste from the mining industry and remove CO2 from the atmosphere.

But Travertine’s 50 foot by 50 foot demo plant will be capable of removing only 45 tons of carbon dioxide a year on a net basis, according to Owen Cadwalader, the startup’s chief operations officer. That’s a minuscule amount compared both to what some other direct air capture facilities are able to remove and the amount that a recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report says must be removed from the atmosphere to fight global warming.

“​Because of the scale of global sulfuric acid use, our process has economical gigaton-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR) potential while simultaneously eliminating industrial sulfate waste,” Lammers said in a statement announcing the company’s new demo plant. Lammers said her goal is for the company to have a plant capable of capturing half a million tons of carbon dioxide a year within a decade.

Travertine has $10.7 million in funding to pay for the project, including $7.5 million in venture debt financing from Builders Vision and $3.2 million in grant funding from the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority, according to a news release.

[probablyasocialecologist]

So we need to ask: Is there a form of massive carbon removal that could be put towards socially just ends, pulling carbon out of the atmosphere as a form of collective social good? Can it work as an outgrowth of energy democracy? For if such a collection of technologies, practices, and institutions can exist, we should try to build it. Notably, carbon removal at what I’ll call climate-significant scale should not be thought of as a magic wand to wipe carbon away either. For one thing, it will not compensate exactly for emissions. The ocean, for example, currently takes up close to half of the carbon humans emit, and it’s possible that if carbon was removed at large scale from the atmosphere, the oceans would then give off carbon, perhaps replacing half of the carbon that had been removed. The prospect of carbon removal is fraught with complexity, and even peril—all of which we have to talk about.

[aquitainequeen]

Cambridge University researchers have demonstrated how carbon dioxide can be captured from industrial processes – or even directly from the air – and transformed into clean, sustainable fuels using just the energy from the sun. They developed a solar-powered reactor that uses captured CO2 and plastic waste (which acts as a catalyst) and converts it into sustainable fuels and other valuable chemical products. Over several years of testing, CO2 was converted into syngas, a key building block for sustainable liquid fuels, and plastic bottles were converted into glycolic acid, which is widely used in the cosmetics industry. Unlike earlier tests of their solar fuels technology, however, the team took CO2 from real-world sources—such as industrial exhaust or the air itself. They were able to capture and concentrate the CO2 and convert it into sustainable fuel. The researchers appreciate the advances in carbon capture and storage, where CO2 is captured and then pumped and stored underground. But instead, they believe the smart move is ‘carbon capture and utilization’—making something useful from CO2 instead of burying it underground. Something like photosynthesis—the inspiration behind the work done by Professor Erwin Reisner and his team in the Department of Chemistry and at the Cambridge Circular Plastics Centre where they develop net-zero carbon fuels.

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[thoughtlessarse]

Scientists have hailed the “exciting” discovery of a type of porous material that can store carbon dioxide. The research, published in the journal Nature Synthesis, saw a team led by scientists at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh create hollow, cage-like molecules with high storage capacities for greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and sulphur hexafluoride. Sulphur hexafluoride is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide and can last thousands of years in the atmosphere. Dr Marc Little, who jointly led the research, said: “This is an exciting discovery because we need new porous materials to help solve society’s biggest challenges. “For example, direct air capture of carbon dioxide is increasingly important because even when we stop emitting carbon dioxide, there’s still going to be a huge need to capture previous emissions that are already in the environment.

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[solarpunkpresentspodcast]

3.3: Carbon Capture and Storage with Prof Mike Bickle

In this ep, Christina talks to Dr. Mike Bickle, professor emeritus at the Earth Sciences Department at the University of Cambridge about carbon capture and storage: methods, dangers, what it would take to deploy at necessary scale. Join us!

Conquering climate change for our survival and that of much of the rest of the biosphere calls for more than attaining net zero emissions of greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere. We also need to actively remove much of the 140 extra parts per million of carbon dioxide currently up there in the atmosphere thanks to our burning of fossil fuels and destruction of so much of Earth’s biosphere. Both…

[jcmarchi]

Is there enough land on Earth to fight climate change and feed the world?

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/is-there-enough-land-on-earth-to-fight-climate-change-and-feed-the-world/

Is there enough land on Earth to fight climate change and feed the world?

Capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius is a tall order. Achieving that goal will not only require a massive reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from human activities, but also a substantial reallocation of land to support that effort and sustain the biosphere, including humans. More land will be needed to accommodate a growing demand for bioenergy and nature-based carbon sequestration while ensuring sufficient acreage for food production and ecological sustainability.

The expanding role of land in a 1.5 C world will be twofold — to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and to produce clean energy. Land-based carbon dioxide removal strategies include bioenergy with carbon capture and storage; direct air capture; and afforestation/reforestation and other nature-based solutions. Land-based clean energy production includes wind and solar farms and sustainable bioenergy cropland. Any decision to allocate more land for climate mitigation must also address competing needs for long-term food security and ecosystem health.

Land-based climate mitigation choices vary in terms of costs — amount of land required, implications for food security, impact on biodiversity and other ecosystem services — and benefits — potential for sequestering greenhouse gases and producing clean energy.

Now a study in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Science provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of competing land-use and technology options to limit global warming to 1.5 C. Led by researchers at the MIT Center for Sustainability Science and Strategy (CS3), the study applies the MIT Integrated Global System Modeling (IGSM) framework to evaluate costs and benefits of different land-based climate mitigation options in Sky2050, a 1.5 C climate-stabilization scenario developed by Shell.

Under this scenario, demand for bioenergy and natural carbon sinks increase along with the need for sustainable farming and food production. To determine if there’s enough land to meet all these growing demands, the research team uses the global hectare (gha) — an area of 10,000 square meters, or 2.471 acres — as the standard unit of measurement, and current estimates of the Earth’s total habitable land area (about 10 gha) and land area used for food production and bioenergy (5 gha).

The team finds that with transformative changes in policy, land management practices, and consumption patterns, global land is sufficient to provide a sustainable supply of food and ecosystem services throughout this century while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions in alignment with the 1.5 C goal. These transformative changes include policies to protect natural ecosystems; stop deforestation and accelerate reforestation and afforestation; promote advances in sustainable agriculture technology and practice; reduce agricultural and food waste; and incentivize consumers to purchase sustainably produced goods.

If such changes are implemented, 2.5–3.5 gha of land would be used for NBS practices to sequester 3–6 gigatonnes (Gt) of CO2 per year, and 0.4–0.6 gha of land would be allocated for energy production — 0.2–0.3 gha for bioenergy and 0.2–0.35 gha for wind and solar power generation.

“Our scenario shows that there is enough land to support a 1.5 degree C future as long as effective policies at national and global levels are in place,” says CS3 Principal Research Scientist Angelo Gurgel, the study’s lead author. “These policies must not only promote efficient use of land for food, energy, and nature, but also be supported by long-term commitments from government and industry decision-makers.”

[spacenutspod]

SpaceTime Series 27 Episode 123 *Discovery of a New Region within the Earth's Core Scientists have uncovered a doughnut-shaped region within Earth's molten liquid outer core, located at low latitudes parallel to the equator. This torus-like zone was detected due to seismic waves travelling slower through this area compared to the rest of the liquid outer core. The discovery, published in Science Advances, suggests that this region could be several hundred kilometres thick and contains a high concentration of light chemical elements, which may be affecting the seismic wave speeds. The findings provide new insights into the Earth's magnetic field and its potential future changes. *Fresh Questions about the True Origins of the Earth's Moon A new hypothesis challenges the widely accepted giant impact theory of the Moon's formation. The study proposes that the Moon was captured during a close encounter between the young Earth and a separate terrestrial binary planetary system. This theory could explain the Moon's current orbital plane, more aligned with the sun's ecliptic than Earth's equator. The study opens the door to further exploration of the Moon's origins, especially considering its chemical similarities to Earth. *New Study Reveals More Secrets about Pluto's Binary Partner, Charon NASA's Webb Space Telescope has revealed that Charon, Pluto's binary partner, has significant reserves of carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide on its surface. The carbon dioxide ice forms a thin veneer over a water ice-rich subsurface. The study, published in Nature Communications, suggests that the carbon dioxide was likely stored beneath the surface until exposed by impacts, while hydrogen peroxide results from radiation breaking apart water ice. These findings add to the understanding of Charon's chemical composition and its geological history. 00:00:00 - This is spacetime series 27, episode 123 for broadcast on 11 October 2024 00:00:46 - Scientists have detected a new doughnut shaped region within the Earth's molten liquid core 00:12:31 - A new study has come up with a different hypothesis to explain the origin of the moon 00:17:46 - NASA's Webb Space Telescope reveals vast reserves of carbon dioxide on Pluto's surface 00:21:19 - People with type two diabetes who sleep short may develop microvascular disease 00:24:23 - Movie producers claim they've accidentally captured footage of a lake monster 00:27:23 - Spacetime is available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through various podcasting platforms www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com www.bitesz.com 🌏 Get Our Exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. The discount and bonuses are incredible! And it’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! ✌ Check out our newest sponsor - Old Glory - Iconic Music and Sports Merch. Well worth a look.... Become a supporter of this podcast and access commercial-free episodes plus bonuses: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/spacetime-with-stuart-gary--2458531/support.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

New research could extend the lifetime of key carbon-capture materials

Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), in collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology, have made a significant breakthrough in understanding the impact of carbon dioxide (CO2) on the stability of amine-functionalized porous solid materials, a crucial component in direct air capture (DAC) carbon-capture technologies. This new research, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society and featured on the journal cover, sheds light on the complex interactions between CO2 and poly(ethylenimine) sorbents, offering important insights that could enhance the efficiency and durability of DAC systems. "This study underscores the importance of considering all atmospheric components in the design of DAC processes and materials," said Simon Pang, corresponding author and principal investigator of the project. "Our findings will be instrumental in developing next-generation sorbents with enhanced durability, contributing to more efficient and cost-effective carbon-capture solutions."

Read more.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Nation of Change:

As the climate crisis accelerates, U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) has reintroduced legislation targeting one of the most egregious aspects of fossil fuel policy: billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies funneled to fossil fuel companies. These subsidies, Khanna argues, are being used to extract even more climate-damaging oil from the earth, fueling environmental destruction and contributing to a worsening global crisis.

Khanna’s bill, the End Polluter Welfare for Enhanced Oil Recovery Act, is aimed squarely at halting these subsidies, specifically targeting the billions in public funds given to companies that use captured carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery (EOR)—a process in which CO2 is injected into oil wells to extract more fossil fuels.

“The fossil fuel industry receives over $20.5 billion in taxpayer dollars every year while fleecing American consumers and driving a global climate crisis,” Khanna told Common Dreams in an exclusive interview. “The End Polluter Welfare for Enhanced Oil Recovery Act will eliminate the subsidy for captured carbon used for enhanced oil recovery, which only leads to more fossil fuel extraction and does nothing to mitigate climate change.”

This push comes during an intensifying climate emergency, marked by record heat waves, wildfires, and other catastrophic climate events. For Khanna and many environmental advocates, continuing to subsidize the extraction of fossil fuels through captured carbon only prolongs dependency on oil and gas, exacerbating the climate crisis rather than mitigating it.

Carbon capture technology has long been touted as a necessary tool in the fight against climate change. But critics of the technology argue that its current application in the U.S. is deeply flawed. Instead of being used to meaningfully reduce emissions, most of the CO2 captured is reinjected into oil wells, enhancing fossil fuel extraction and profits.

[lenrosen]

A U.S. report explores creating a carbon industry to use captured CO2 and coal waste for products while sequestering pollutants

[tornadoquest]

Tornado Quest Top Science Links For August 17 - 24, 2024 #science #weather #climate #climatechange #hurricane #drought #heatsafety

Greetings everybody! Thanks so much for visiting. In addition to summer heat, Hurricane Ernesto has been the big weather story this past week. We’re reaching the peak season for hurricane potential. While preparedness supplies are plentiful, now is the time to get prepared for a tropical storm or hurricane. I’ve plenty of hurricane preparedness information for you. I’ll also continue our overview…