Since the 1850s, the onset of the industrial revolution, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has drastically increased, with devastating consequences to global climatic conditions resulting in global warming. Carbon dioxide (CO2) contributes to 75 percent of the total greenhouse gas emitted to the atmosphere. Ninety percent of these come from industrial processes. As a result, there is a rise in cases of severe storms, biodiversity loss, health risks, frequent drought occurrences, poverty, and displacement.
According to the intergovernmental panel on climate change report, the need to reach net zero carbon emission by 2050, titled Global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius, is compelling. The report further notes that achieving this target requires ambitious mitigation actions like using carbon dioxide removal technologies such as Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS).
Carbon capture removes carbon dioxide from industrial processes before it enters the atmosphere or removes the carbon in the air. Carbon capture technologies on a commercial scale have existed for over 45 years, per the Global CCS institute. Its 2019 report stated that 51 large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) facilities were located in different parts of America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East.
Apart from carbon storage, after its capture, concepts of its utilization in industrial processes have taken root. It is worth noting that CCUS arose from the realization that instead of storing carbon, it could be re-used. CCUS allows the re-use of carbon in industrial processes that deal with products such as plastics, concrete, biofuel, clothes, foam, and even diamonds.
There are various technologies available for carbon capture. One of these technologies is chemical absorption, a technique based on the chemical reaction between a chemical solvent and carbon dioxide. Another technology is physical separation, which involves compression, dehydration, absorption, adsorption, and cryogenic separation. These two technologies are proven, tested, and widely deployed.
Other technological innovations currently in pre-demonstration include oxy-fuel separation, which captures CO2 by using pure oxygen in fuel combustion. Since the flue gas emitted is purely carbon dioxide and water vapor, it is easy to get a high-purity CO2 stream.
Membrane separation is another technology in the development stages, whereby a polymeric or inorganic membrane filters other gases and allows carbon dioxide to pass through. Other piloted technologies include calcium looping, direct separation, supercritical CO2 cycles, power cycles, and chemical looping.
There is a continued need to pump resources to stakeholders in research, innovation, and deployment of carbon capture technologies as a matter of urgency, as noted by the Global warming report. Attaining net zero emissions by 2050 will heavily rely on using CCUS technology.
Investing in carbon capture and utilization has environmental, economic, and social advantages. In the economy, it will create new industries, and more jobs will be available. For the environment, CCUS aids in significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The positive trickle-down effect this has on climate change cannot be gainsaid.
Finally, socially, CCUS will help achieve SDG sustainability goals through the cautious use of global resources. As a result, future generations' livelihoods will be saved depending on how well the global warming crisis is managed today.
