Reducing Carbon Emissions with Carbon Capture: Key to Tackling Global Warming
Author: Keshav Goela      Posted on: 06-12-22

As the world looks for ways to reduce its carbon footprint, carbon capture technologies are becoming increasingly important. Carbon capture involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions before they are released into the atmosphere. There are many ways to capture carbon dioxide, including chemical reactions, absorption, and adsorption. Once the carbon dioxide is captured, it can be stored underground or used in other industrial processes.

The Importance of Reducing Carbon Emissions - Greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, are transparent to visible light but absorb infrared radiation emitted from the Earth’s surface. This trapped heat makes the Earth’s atmosphere warm and disturbs the Earth’s climate. The main greenhouse gas emitted by human activity is carbon dioxide.

Over the past decade, it has become increasingly evident that human activity is causing global warming. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has stated that there is unequivocal evidence that human activity is the main cause of global warming. Carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels are the main cause of global warming. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a promising technology for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

What is Carbon Capture and Storage?

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The terms "carbon capture, utilization, and storage" (CCUS) or "carbon capture technology" refer to a group of technologies created to capture carbon dioxide from high-emitting operations like industrial facilities or power plants that burn either fossil fuels or biomass.

After being compressed, the caught carbon dioxide is delivered via pipeline, ship, rail, or truck to be used in various applications or permanently stored underground. This process can also capture carbon dioxide straight from the atmosphere.

Supporting Arguments for Carbon Capture and Storage Technology in Combating Climate Change

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The IPCC's Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage contains invaluable information for environmental scientists, geologists, engineers, and those working in the oil and gas industry, as well as policymakers in governments, environmental groups, and industry scientists and engineers.

The report emphasizes that the potential for CO2 capture and storage is significant and that the costs of mitigating climate change can be reduced compared to strategies that only use other mitigation options. The importance of future CO2 capture and storage for climate change mitigation will be determined by several factors, including the financial incentives provided for deployment and whether storage risks can be successfully managed.

Pros and Cons of Carbon Capture and Storage

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Pros

The numerous advantages of CCS technology include economic, social, and environmental benefits on a global and local scale. CCS can help create jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve air quality. In addition, CCS can help develop new technologies and industries and provide energy security. Some of the potential economic benefits of CCS include:

1. Carbon capture and storage technology can reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which is a major contributor to climate change.

2. It can help prevent environmental disasters by limiting greenhouse gas emissions.

3. It has the potential to offset the emissions of other industrial processes. For example, the carbon dioxide released by an iron and steel plant would be captured and stored through CCS. The stored CO2 could be used in a natural gas or oil plant, negating the need to burn coal. This would reduce the emissions from these plants, helping to address climate change.

4. It can create new jobs in the technology sector, as well as in the environmental sector.

5. It can help improve the energy efficiency of existing power plants, reducing the amount of energy consumed.

6. Helps generate more power - The power produced by carbon dioxide-based steam cycles can be increased through carbon capture. In this method, carbon dioxide is pushed through a supercritical fluid under pressure, which could improve heat transfer and reduce the energy needed to compress steam.

7. Sustainable geothermal heat energy - The recovery of geothermal heat from the injection site using geologically stored carbon dioxide could produce sustainable geothermal energy.

8. Polymer production - Additionally, carbon dioxide from carbon capture can be used in the production of polymers and chemicals like polyurethanes.

Cons

Some disadvantages of carbon capture include its high cost and the possibility of toxic waste disposal. The high cost of CCS technology is a result of the need for large investments in facilities and the need for long-term contracts. This high cost can be a barrier to deployment, and it can be difficult to secure long-term contracts.

Additionally, the possibility of toxic waste disposal is a major concern. If CO2 is captured and stored in an environmentally sensitive area, there is the potential for release of the gas if the site is damaged or if the technology fails.

One of the main advantages to working with a carbon capture technology forerunner like Gas Labs is the potential to mitigate costs. Gas Labs has been working on developing this technology for over a decade, and has been able to bring the cost down significantly.

Gas Labs has a lot of experience working with application-oriented carbon capture technologies and solutions, helping you find the best option for your needs.

Gas Labs offers end to end CCS solution tailor-made for every industry. With their years of experience in the field, they can provide a technology that meets the specific needs of your business. From capture to storage, their team is able to provide a solution that encapsulates your Carbon Capture goals and NetZero objectives.

Talk to our team to understand how you can make a difference with our Carbon Capture & Storage Solutions.