The U.S. Department of Energy Invests in Giant Vacuums to Fight Global Warming
Introduction
The U.S. Department of Energy is investing up to $1.2 billion in innovative technology that aims to combat global warming by extracting carbon dioxide from the air. This technology, known as direct air capture (DAC), shows promise in addressing the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Funding for DAC Hub Projects
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has allocated funding for two DAC hub projects, one in Texas and one in Louisiana. These projects have the potential to remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually than all current DAC projects combined. The captured carbon can be stored underground or used for various purposes, such as creating building materials, agricultural products, and even manmade diamonds.
First Commercial-Scale DAC Projects in the U.S.
While there are currently 18 DAC projects around the world, the Texas and Louisiana hubs will be the first commercial-scale projects of this kind in the United States. Once operational, these hubs are projected to remove over 2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year, which is equivalent to taking nearly half a million gas-powered cars off the road.
Texas Hub: Occidental Petroleum and 1PointFive
Occidental Petroleum and its subsidiary 1PointFive are leading the Texas hub project. They have secured a lease for 106,000 acres of land south of Corpus Christi to extract CO2 and store up to one billion metric tons of carbon underground. Once fully operational, this hub has the potential to remove up to 30 million metric tons of CO2 per year through direct air capture.
Louisiana Hub: Climeworks and Heirloom
The Louisiana hub is a collaboration between Climeworks and Heirloom. Climeworks, based in Zurich, Switzerland, currently operates the world’s largest DAC plant in Iceland, removing approximately 4,000 tons of CO2 annually. Heirloom, a California-based startup, utilizes limestone to extract carbon from the air. The hub in Louisiana will further advance DAC technology.
Creating Jobs and Transitioning from Fossil Fuels
These DAC hubs will not only contribute to carbon reduction efforts but also create approximately 5,000 jobs for local workers, including those formerly employed in the fossil fuel industry. Moreover, both hubs will be powered by clean energy sources, aligning with sustainable practices.
Continued Investments in DAC Technology
The government plans to fund two additional DAC hubs next year, with a total commitment of up to $3.5 billion towards this carbon-reducing technology. While the new DAC hubs mark a significant step forward, removing billions of tons of carbon annually by 2050 is necessary to limit global warming to the target of 1.5 degrees Celsius outlined in the Paris Agreement.