Article: Carbon Capture vs. Direct Air Capture: Understanding the Differences

Q: Article: Carbon Capture vs. Direct Air Capture: Understanding the Differences

Summary: Carbon capture and sequestration/storage (CCS) is the process of capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂) formed during power generation and industrial processes and storing it so that it is not emitted into the atmosphere. CCS technologies have significant potential to reduce CO₂ emissions in energy systems; facilities with CCS can capture almost all of the CO₂ they produce. According to the Global CCS Institute’s 2021 Status Report, plants in operation or under construction have the current capacity to capture 40 million metric tons of CO2 per year. (For context, the United States alone emitted over 5 billion metric tons of CO₂ in 2019). In 2021, 102 CCS facilities were in advanced and early stages of development. Combined with facilities already under construction or in operation, these facilities could capture 149.3 million metric tons of CO2 per year. Deploying CCS at a power plant or industrial facility generally entails three major steps: capture, transportation, and storage. Once the CO₂ is captured from the facility, it is compressed into a fluid and transported to a storage site. In the third step, the CO₂ is injected into deep, underground geological formations, where it is stored long term, rather than being released into the atmosphere. Storage sites used for CO₂ include former oil and gas reservoirs, deep saline formations, and coal beds.

Summary:

Carbon capture and sequestration/storage (CCS) is the process of capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂) formed during power generation and industrial processes and storing it so that it is not emitted into the atmosphere. CCS technologies have significant potential to reduce CO₂ emissions in energy systems; facilities with CCS can capture almost all of the CO₂ they produce.
According to the Global CCS Institute’s 2021 Status Report, plants in operation or under construction have the current capacity to capture 40 million metric tons of CO₂ per year. (For context, the United States alone emitted over 5 billion metric tons of CO₂ in 2019).
In 2021, 102 CCS facilities were in advanced and early stages of development. Combined with facilities already under construction or in operation, these facilities could capture 149.3 million metric tons of CO₂ per year.
Deploying CCS at a power plant or industrial facility generally entails three major steps: capture, transportation, and storage.
Once the CO₂ is captured from the facility, it is compressed into a fluid and transported to a storage site.
In the third step, the CO₂ is injected into deep, underground geological formations, where it is stored long term, rather than being released into the atmosphere. Storage sites used for CO₂ include former oil and gas reservoirs, deep saline formations, and coal beds.