Cleaner Tech
Carbon Capture Is Confusing. Here Are 14 Terms to Help Understand It
Cleaning up carbon pollution will require CO2 pipelines, direct air capture and other methods. This glossary defines the most important ones — and their limitations.
The Shell Quest Carbon Capture and Storage facility near Edmonton, Canada. Plants like it could play a crucial role in limiting global warming to 1.5C.
Photographer: Jason Franson/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Flip to the glossary of any climate report and it will look like a cat ran over a keyboard.
That’s particularly true when it comes to talking about carbon capture. The acronyms — DAC, MRV and EOR, to name just a few — are head-spinning. Throw in phrases like “enhanced rock weathering” and “carbon sink” and it’s enough to make you want to throw the report into a lake.