Is A Giant Fan The Answer To Removing Carbon From The Atmosphere?

Efforts to plant more trees and cut down on emissions are important steps toward achieving a cleaner environment … but one startup company is on a mission to take an even bolder approach to pollution.

Climeworks has just turned on a device that can best be described as the biggest fan on Earth, and its mission is to remove carbon dioxide from the air and move it to a secure location deep underground.

Meet Mammoth

The new facility is appropriately called Mammoth and is located in Iceland. It’s attracted some big investments, but one plant can’t do it all on its own.

Here are some relevant stats:

• Mammoth is roughly 10 times as big as an earlier facility built by Climeworks.
• It is expected to capture as much as 36,000 metric tons of carbon annually.
• That’s less than one-millionth of the world’s estimated emissions in 2023.

While Mammoth won’t put a dent in the carbon pollution swirling in the planet’s atmosphere, Climeworks’ supporters think it could be a step toward achieving a cleaner environment.

Race against the clock

With emissions reaching the highest level on record last year and climate experts recording a troubling streak of record-breaking heat in recent months, time appears to be running out for a major breakthrough to combat climate change.

Facilities like Mammoth have attracted a lot of attention, though it’s an expensive process … at least for now. It currently costs up to $1,000 to remove and lock away one ton of carbon dioxide and researchers say that number needs to drop to $100 by mid-century to remain a viable option.

But the U.S. government approved $1.2 billion in new funding for such facilities, which could help projects like Mammoth become more efficient and cost-effective before it’s too late.

Chris Agee May 10th, 2024

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