By Eugene McCarty
Recent technological breakthroughs have transformed daily life, from cutting-edge medical advancements to innovations in artificial intelligence. Every major development begins in a research lab, where scientists explore materials, test new ideas, and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Addressing climate change—one of the world’s most urgent challenges—depends on similar scientific progress, particularly in reducing carbon emissions.
Decarbonization is a complex, multidisciplinary process that requires continuous innovation. Both reducing future emissions and sequestering existing greenhouse gases are contained within the scope of decarbonization. This article explores recent advancements driving the transition to a low-carbon future, highlighting key developments in research and technology.
Negative Emissions Systems
Recently, a lot of effort has been put into ‘negative emissions’ carbon capture systems. There are two methods: Bioenergy and Carbon Capture & Storage (BECCS), which burns biomass to create energy while simultaneously storing the released carbon, and Biochar, which creates a chemically stable form of carbon that can be applied as fertilizer to help plants grow and lock carbon away for centuries. Both of these methods could replace traditional energy sources while sequestering more carbon than they emit, making them carbon ‘negative.’
Researchers in the Middle East and the U.K. have recently discovered that a system comprising 0f 53% Biochar and 47% BECCS would give the highest energy gain while minimizing energy and water constraints. These systems could be easily adapted to existing power plants, but the availability of biomass like crops, forestry residues, and algae could hinder wide-scale rollouts.
Direct Air Capture
Cleaning up existing emissions is as important as reducing future ones, and many researchers are developing chemical ways to store carbon. Reports have calculated that over 30 large (at least 1 metric ton CO2/year) Direct Air Capture (DAC) plants will have to be added annually in the next 30 years to achieve development consistent with net zero goals. DAC plants would allow us to capture ‘legacy’ emissions and offset ones that are difficult to avoid by processing large amounts of air and storing the carbon for potential chemical production.
The process begins with a sorbent capturing and storing atmospheric carbon through a chemical reaction. This stored carbon is later released through a secondary process, making it available for industrial applications or permanent sequestration. Some sorbents are liquids that react with carbon dioxide, while others are porous solids that store and release carbon dioxide based on the ambient temperature. Recent developments in materials science have yielded crystalline ‘covalent-organic’ solids that have captured CO2 over 1000 times more effectively than previous solids. More state-specific sorbents are being developed, such as materials that store and release CO2 based on electrical charge or moisture level.
Hydrogen Economy
The hydrogen economy refers to a system that utilizes hydrogen as the main fuel in various sectors because of its low emissions profile and potential to replace fossil fuels in areas that are hard to electrify. Hydrogen can be produced in a multitude of ways from different sources, and it then needs to be transported and utilized as fuel. Scaling the hydrogen economy is difficult because of inefficiencies in the entire supply chain, leading to high costs and limited hydrogen-friendly infrastructure in most cities. This need for improvement has attracted funding and research from many universities and companies worldwide.
Recently, hydrogen fuel synthesis from seawater electrolysis has been supported as a viable option for production. Systems take in seawater and renewable-produced electricity to produce green hydrogen, but the variable characteristics of seawater and the harsh ocean conditions pose a challenge for large-scale rollout. Researchers have produced membranes that support the needed reactions for over 2000 hours at a time with a Faradaic efficiency of around 100%. These improvements put them on par with other methods of hydrogen synthesis, but the immense supply of seawater would minimize implementation costs for any final product.
Hydrogen storage and transport is also inefficient, and scientists have developed liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) that can sequester carbon stably and safely for long transports. The main advantage of these carriers is that they operate at room temperature, so when they release their sequestered carbon, they don’t require extreme heating and cooling and their associated costs are lower.
Conclusion
The path to a low-carbon future relies on continuous advancements in many different aspects of decarbonization. No one method will be efficient and scalable enough to completely transition our energy sources away from fossil fuels, so a joint strategy straddling multiple technologies meant to address all facets of the problem is needed. While challenges remain in efficiency, cost, and infrastructure, ongoing research and investment are driving progress. As technology evolves, these solutions will become more viable, paving the way for a sustainable and resilient global economy built on research collaboration and communication.
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The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth is a collaborator of the UChicago Sustainability Dialogue, but is not responsible for the content.