Revolutionising Climate Change: Iceland's Leading Carbon Capture Initiatives

The world is in need of stepping up its efforts to address the damaged climate, and countries like Iceland and Finland are at the forefront with their energy systems and carbon capture initiatives. Today, we will explore Climeworks, a leading company in carbon capture that has captured my interest.

What is Carbon Capture?

Carbon Capture is the process of extracting carbon from the Earth's atmosphere, transporting it, and then storing it. It is a crucial step towards achieving net zero emissions, as emphasised by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. To meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement and limit future temperature increases to 1.5°C, more than just emission reductions are required.

Climeworks - ORCA

ORCA, situated in Iceland, is the world's inaugural large-scale carbon dioxide removal facility. Launched in September 2021, it stood as the most extensive direct air capture and storage plant at the time, effectively realizing large-scale carbon dioxide removal. The system seizes carbon dioxide via its eight collector containers, boasting an annual capturing capacity of approximately 4000 metric tons of carbon dioxide. To provide perspective, one ton of carbon equates to roughly 138 meat-based meals per day.

It is noteworthy that the ORCA plant operates on the Iceland energy grid, predominantly powered by renewable sources, with over 99% of the island's total energy consumption derived from renewable sources. Breaking it down further, around 73% is sourced from hydroelectric power plants, while just under 27% is from geothermal energy.

ORCA's pioneering nature signifies a positive stride in the right direction; however, it is evident that there is still a considerable journey ahead, leading us to Climeworks' ongoing project...

Climeworks - MAMMOTH and whats next?

Climeworks has intensified its efforts with the launch of their latest project, Mammoth, which is significantly larger than its predecessor, ORCA. Mammoth, initiated in June 2022, aims to boost the company's carbon capturing capacity from thousands to tens of thousands of tons annually. This project will feature 72 capture containers, increasing the total capturing capacity to approximately 36,000 tons per year.

In addition to this remarkable endeavour, Climeworks is expanding its reach by establishing 'Megaton' hubs in various locations across the US and pursuing new projects in Norway, Kenya, and Canada.

It is evident that a substantial number of these capture devices will be required worldwide to effectively capture carbon emissions, especially considering the alarming 37.55 billion metric tons of carbon emitted into the atmosphere in 2023 according to Statista.