WASHINGTON — When it comes to global warming, carbon dioxide tops the list of gases contributing to it. NASA has identified it as the primary heat-trapping gas in our atmosphere.
Now, new technology by Climeworks could help reduce carbon dioxide levels with the “Mammoth,” a direct air capture system. At first glance, the Mammoth looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, but it’s a very real piece of technology.
This giant air vacuum is designed to extract carbon dioxide from the air to help slow down global warming. Here’s how it works: air is drawn in and passed through a filter that traps the carbon dioxide particles. Once the filter is full, the collector closes and heats up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit, forcing the carbon out. The captured carbon is then stored underground, where it will eventually solidify into rock.
Climeworks currently operates the Mammoth in Iceland, and once it’s fully operational, they estimate it will capture 44,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year.
Climeworks also has carbon capture projects in the U.S., with headquarters in Austin, Texas, and a team in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, Virginia and Maryland are exploring their own carbon capture solutions. In Maryland, legislators have proposed a carbon capture bill, while scientists in Virginia, including those at the University of Virginia, are scouting locations across the state to determine where carbon capture could be most effective.
This post was originally published on here
