Carbon Capture: Solution or Scam?

Carbon capture is touted as a climate change solution, but the reality is hazy.

(Photo by Juho Luomala on Unsplash)

It seems so simple: if there’s too much CO2 in the atmosphere, let’s remove it. If excessive CO2 is the primary cause of climate change, removing it would reverse the negative effects. We have the technology, so what’s the problem?

“Accounting for almost 80 percent of global human-caused emissions, carbon dioxide sticks around for quite a while” — Natural Resources Defense Council

The first carbon capture and storage (CCS) plant in the world was built in 1972. Building on a concept first proposed in 1938, the Sharon Ridge oilfield in Texas successfully removed CO2 from its emissions. 45 similar projects are currently operating worldwide, capturing some 45 million tons of CO2 annually. 100s more are in development, each of which uses one or a combination of various types of solvents, filters, membranes, cryogenic systems, etc. to scrub CO2 from the air.

So is carbon capture the solution to climate change? No, not really. But it might help someday.

Too Much of a Good Thing