Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, driven primarily by the increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere—particularly carbon dioxide (CO₂). While mitigating future emissions is crucial, addressing excess CO₂ already present in the atmosphere is equally important. This is where carbon dioxide removal (CDR) solutions come into play. Capturing CO₂ directly from the atmosphere and storing it permanently can be a game-changer for fighting climate change. The $100M XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition is encouraging innovators from around the world to find the best, most scalable CDR solutions. Teams developing “Air” solutions are finding ways to remove CO₂ directly from the air and storing it safely and durably.
HOW DOES DIRECT AIR CAPTURE WORK?
Direct Air Capture (DAC) describes a class of cutting-edge technologies designed to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. Unlike point-source carbon capture, where CO₂ emissions are captured directly at power plants and industrial facilities, DAC removes already-emitted CO₂ from the air. This technology can be deployed anywhere, making it a versatile solution to combat climate change.
The process typically involves using chemical reactions or filters to capture CO₂ from ambient or outdoor air. After the CO₂ is trapped, it can be stored using various carbon storage techniques, like burying it underground, or it can be turned into carbon-negative materials, including synthetic fuels—or deployed for enhanced plant growth.
BENEFITS OF DIRECT AIR CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY
Direct air capture has many advantages. DAC facilities can be installed virtually anywhere, allowing for a distributed approach to reducing CO₂ levels. This decentralization makes it possible to remove CO₂ wherever there are opportunities for safe, long-term storage and ample clean electricity to power the systems. According to the International Energy Agency, 27 DAC plants have already been commissioned around the world, with 130 or more large-scale DAC facilities in various stages of development.
MAKING PRODUCTS OUT OF CAPTURED CARBON DIOXIDE
What if air travel could have a smaller climate footprint? It could be possible with jet fuel produced via DAC.
Through a process known as carbon dioxide utilization, this atmospheric carbon dioxide captured with DAC can become a resource for manufacturing valuable products. There are many different types of products that can be made from CO₂, some of them, such as concrete and plastic can store the CO₂ permanently, but others, like chemicals and fuels, will be re-emitted into the atmosphere as the products are used—this can be thought of as carbon recycling. Teams competing in XPRIZE Carbon Removal are all pursuing products with the potential to store CO₂ for at least 100 years.
Direct air capture presents a compelling pathway to address the excess CO₂ in our atmosphere. By harnessing the power and adaptability of DAC with carbon storage, we can take significant strides toward building a sustainable and carbon-neutral future for generations to come.
XPRIZE CARBON REMOVAL
Out of the 1,300 teams from 88 countries that competed in the XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition, XPRIZE chose 20 finalist teams, including five Air track teams: Airhive, Heirloom Carbon, Octavia & Cella, Project Hajar, and Skyrenu Technologies. This final phase before the competition’s end included site visits to see the innovative technology in action, and robust validation procedures.
Discover the innovative teams and technologies behind the competition in our newly released XPRIZE Carbon Removal docuseries, featuring this video on the Air track as well as episodes covering each of the prize tracks.
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