A new way of fighting climate change gains momentum as scientists work to put the system into effect. For thousands of years, plants have been able to take carbon dioxide from the environment and utilize it during photosynthesis to produce oxygen. These organisms have been the carbon recyclers for generations and could potentially hold the key to the reduction of carbon emissions. If plants have the ability to take carbon dioxide from the air, why can’t we? In recent years, innovative engineers and scientists have been developing new methods of carbon capture that have become an interesting topic in the fight against increasing carbon emissions. Now what exactly is carbon capture? Carbon capture is the process of taking carbon dioxide from a source of emission and storing it in a new location. Many companies have been using carbon capture to reduce carbon emissions in places such as fossil fuel energy plants as well as absorbing carbon dioxide directly from the air. There are three main ways that carbon capture can take place in these energy plants: pre-combustion carbon capture, post-combustion carbon capture, and oxy-fuel combustion carbon capture. Each of these methods works to reduce carbon emissions in energy plants and has potential to limit the effects of global warming and climate change. Here is a brief synopsis of each process.
Big growing companies such as Carbon Engineering are also working on methods of Direct Air Capture (DAC) which take carbon dioxide straight from the air. DAC uses large fans, which suck in ambient air (air in its natural form) from the environment and transport the air through a filter containing a chemical absorbent. The chemical absorbent helps to convert the carbon dioxide into a pure carbon dioxide stream, which can be stored and moved underground or in a different location. If put on a global scale, DAC can have a large impact on the atmosphere, severely reducing the levels of carbon concentration. The future of our world is quite uncertain. The world is getting hotter. Ice caps are melting. No matter how rapidly global warming develops, there are always ways to prevent it. Carbon capture is just one solution among many that can make a big difference in the environment. These methods have the potential to reduce carbon emissions on a global scale, giving way for a better future. One that has a stable atmosphere and a healthy environment in which we can all live in.
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