There's a New Race to Develop Bite-Sized Carbon Capture Tech
Mitsubishi Heavy is making compact devices that suck carbon dioxide from the emissions of small polluters before they reach the atmosphere.
A carbon dioxide capture system, front low, at Seifu Shinto biomass power plant in Hiroshima.
Source: Taihei Dengyo Kaisha Ltd.
Technology to remove carbon dioxide from emissions before they enter the atmosphere is still nascent, but many scientists, governments and investors are already banking on the approach to reduce the climate impact of difficult-to-decarbonize industries.
Carbon capture technology operates a bit like a giant vacuum, sucking planet-warming CO₂ from emissions generated by the burning of carbon-intensive fuels. But wide-scale adoption has so far been stymied by the size and expense of most capture systems, which can cost up to $500 million and typically require bespoke equipment and installation.