Environmental issues continue to strain the Earth and the population’s health. Greenhouse gases like CO2 have built up due to people’s dependence on fossil fuels and other key elements. Now, the world must figure out how to reduce waste or prevent these harmful chemicals from entering the atmosphere. Thankfully, a new carbon capture process promises to do just that, here is what you need to know.
A company called CarbonRun believes it has found a unique solution to the problem. The company proposes using bodies of water to trap the carbon. The process is similar to river liming, which involves adding lime to a river to help balance out its alkalinity. It’s a crucial way for scientists to repair acidic, damaged waterways.
During testing of their alkalinity enhancement process, CarbonRun noticed that adding limestone and a few other key substances, such as magnesium oxide, caused the water to become a carbon sponge. Specifically, the water began trapping large amounts of carbon directly.
This process occurs naturally, but this test marks the first time it has been thoroughly explored as a means to recapture carbon successfully. Notably, the oceans have already successfully absorbed over 1/3 of all the carbon humanity has expelled. Researchers want to speed this process up using new technology and transform waterways into carbon sponges, which convert carbon into a stable molecule, bicarbonate, which can be removed at a later date.
Test
CarbonRun engineers created a special $400,000 limestone machine that grinds up the mineral and stores it in large silos. The powdered limestone is then added to the waterway when needed to enhance carbon capture. For this test, the researchers used the West River Pictou.
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Source – CarbonRun
According to researchers, the release went without a hitch, and the results were promising. The limestone powder created a cloudy mist that quickly dissipated and dissolved within minutes of being introduced to the water, raising alkalinity and helping the waterway absorb maximum carbon dioxide.
Benefits
This latest research brings many benefits to the market. For one, river liming has been in use for many years, and the materials and processes have already been tried and proven effective. This latest approach leverages these already existing tools with some minor alterations to create carbon dioxide-hungry water.
Locked CO2
Another major benefit of this research is that the carbon dioxide remains trapped for thousands of years once it comes in contact with the river lime. This now harmless chemical can be washed out to sea naturally or collected by researchers and used to create other assets, including fuels.
Cost Savings
Until now, carbon capture has been relatively expensive. On average, it can cost around $600-$1000 per ton to recapture this gas before it enters the earth’s atmosphere and causes damage. This latest method will reduce that price significantly. The lower costs mean that more companies can utilize this technology and reduce their carbon footprint.
Easy to Implement
The river liming method used by CarbonRun is much easier to integrate than alternatives that offer similar results. The system utilizes existing bodies of water and tech. As such, it’s much easier to deploy equipment and predict results.
Carbon Capture Researchers
CarbonRun entered the market to help restore the world’s rivers and waterways to health. The Canadian-based firm offers several products and has conducted multiple studies to reduce climate change and environmental waste. Notably, CarbonRun is the first company to consider using river liming as a means to increase CO2 consumption. As such, it’s considered a pioneering force in the market.
$25.4M Investment by Frontier
Frontier has backed CarbonRun and the CO2 capture project. Notably, Frontier is a well-known investment firm that has backing from some of the biggest names in tech including Stripe, Alphabet, Shopify, Meta, McKinsey, and many more. Frontier provided CarbonRun with a $25.4M grant to conduct further research. This grant was in addition to a $1M pledge from Stripe directly.
Future of CarbonRun
CarbonRun is just getting started. Company executives stated that they intend to expand operations considerably within the next year. Already, there are multiple discussions on how to utilize other water sources, create new waterways specifically for carbon capture, and how to best extract captured CO2 from the water. This innovative approach, and proven methods are sure to yield results.
Other Carbon Capture Initiatives
Of course, there are many carbon capture initiatives currently in full swing. These projects take unique approaches to this very serious problem. From special machines that suck the carbon from the air you breathe to solar panels that prevent ocean water from evaporating, the future of carbon capture is bright. Here are a few cool projects that you should know about.
Floating Solar Panels
The concept of floating solar panels has gotten a boost recently thanks to some innovations put forth by researchers from Bangor and Lancaster Universities and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. This team conducted a study to see how effective floating solar panels are and they found some really interesting facts. For one, they noted that floating panels help to reduce evaporation which lowers CO2 air release.
The study also found that the panel provided protection from the blistering sun and provided shading. This reduced the heat flux and protected against other issues such as winds. All of these factors and the energy that these devices can provide make floating solar panels a smart option to consider for many.
Crescent Midstream
Another cool Carbon Capture project that has many benefits is the Crescent Midstream project. This interesting project will create a carbon capture facility in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The system captures carbon created from the natural gas power plant located adjacent. The Lake Charles power station produces 994 MW of power which keeps the residents comfortable and lowers power costs.
Impressively, the new carbon system should help capture around +3 tons of yearly. This rate would significantly reduce CO2 pollution in the region. Interestingly, the project is already underway and is slated for completion by 2028.
Hydrolyzer
Phlair‘s Hydrolyzer technology is an open-air carbon capture device that improves on current designs. The hydrolyzer doesn’t use hot air like competitors, as such, it reduces energy requirements significantly. In order to eliminate the need for heat, the system uses an acidic mist that causes the carbon dioxide to be released from the other chemicals. The mist is blown over a special membrane that reacts with the carbon and extracts it.
Notably, this method of carbon capture is significantly less expensive than other methods. According to researchers, this strategy can enable the system to capture a ton of carbon for as little as $100. Malte Feucht, co-founder and CEO of Hydrolyzer, explains that his novel method uses pH shifts to identify carbon rather than other less effective methods.
Companies Already Offering Innovative Solutions to Carbon Capture
There are several companies that are already offering carbon reduction solutions in the market. Recently, the number of firms in this sector has increased as many nations seek to meet the Paris Accord goals which will reduce carbon dioxide pollution significantly over the next decade. The following is an example of a firm that has embraced the challenge and is already ahead of the pack in terms of offerings.
Carbon Engineering
Carbon engineering entered the market in 2009 seeking to help solve many of the current environmental issues faced globally. The company has taken a direct interest in carbon capture and specializes in offering effective solutions for companies seeking alternatives. The Direct Air Capture technology that Carbon Engineering has put forth enables users to remove carbon freely from their environment and convert it into fuel. This method is highly effective and can improve sustainability.
Quanta Services Inc.
Quanta Services, Inc. (PWR -0.05%)
Quanta Services Inc. offers a selection of features including carbon capture options to help reduce environmental pollution and impact. The company also launched carbon bonds that enable investors to gain exposure to carbon assets.
PWR is a strong “buy” as the company shows a return on assets of 4.69% and a return on equity of 13.08%. Notably, Quanta Services showed $22.03B in revenue in 2023. Additionally, the company has many new AI services set to launch which should help drive demand up for the stock in the coming weeks.
Carbon Capture – One Part of a Bigger Strategy
When you examine the current environmental situation, it is easy to see carbon capture is one of many solutions that the community needs to embrace to help reduce pollution impact. Carbon Capture technology comes in many forms and this latest research could help to unlock a new level in CO2 reduction, transforming any waterway into a suitable carbon dioxide filter system.
Carbon Capture Testing on Rivers is the Future
Now, the team will seek to expand their operations to other waterways and continue testing their results. If successful, this method of Co2 reclamation is sure to become one of the most popular due to its low cost, high effectiveness, and overall ease of deployment. As such, CarbonRun is a firm to watch moving forward.
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