Wednesday, October 6, 2021

The Rise of Carbon Capture Plants

 


Carbon emissions have become a growing concern for safety of the environment. The exacerbation of the green house effect can cause an increase of the Earth's temperature. The challenge of climate change requires innovative solutions. What is developing is the rise of carbon capture plants. Iceland activated one of the world's biggest carbon capture plants on September 8,  2021. The Orca carbon capture plant takes CO2 and seals it underground. This becomes counted as a negative emission. The problem is that more of these plants would have to be constructed to make a significant change. Every nation  would need one to collectively bring down CO2 emissions. Only 15 direct air capture plants are in operation . The technology is new, so there needs to be more examination of its effectiveness. The Orca plant uses a combination of fans and filters to capture carbon dioxide. The CO2 is mixed with water. When pushed underground it will become rock.  A question does remain of the long term effects of this. Consultations with petrologists and geologists should be done before embarking on larger projects. From a perspective of ecology, carbon capture plants could be beneficial. A combination of planting more trees, investment in renewable energy, and creation of new technology can reduce extreme climate change. Carbon capture plants will become a priority in the coming decades.