Carbon capture is a process that extracts carbon dioxide from emissions, reducing the amount released into the atmosphere. It is part of carbon capture and storage (CCS), which focuses on underground storage sites. However, the process is expensive and presents storage problems, with potential leaks being dangerous. Some suggest processing the trapped CO2 for reuse, but this is also expensive. Critics argue that investing in alternative fuel technologies would be a better long-term solution to reducing carbon emissions.
Carbon capture is a process in which carbon dioxide is extracted from emissions, classically the exhaust gases produced in large plants such as power plants. By capturing carbon before it can be released, carbon capture reduces the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere, thereby reducing some of the damage thought to be caused by carbon emissions. Growing concerns about rising carbon dioxide levels in the early 21st century have led to some interest in carbon capture as a technique that could be used to manage carbon emissions.
This process is part of a procedure known as carbon capture and storage or carbon capture and storage (CCS). In this process, trapped carbon is transported to a site where it can be stored. CCS focuses primarily on underground storage sites, which could be located directly under carbon dioxide production facilities for convenience.
Some serious criticisms have been raised about carbon capture. The process can be very expensive, whether the CO2 is recovered from the flue gases after combustion or extracted before combustion as part of a chemical process. The cost of carbon capture makes it impractical for companies concerned about operating expenses, especially since consumers may be reluctant to pass costs along. Installing carbon trapping equipment can also be a time-consuming and expensive process.
Once captured, CO2 also presents a storage problem. If storage facilities leak, carbon dioxide could leak into the atmosphere, defeating the purpose of carbon capture in the first place. Leaks can also be dangerous to animals; natural CO2 leaks from sites like volcanoes have killed people and animals in several regions of the world, and presumably large man-made deposits of CO2 could do the same thing.
Some researchers have suggested that the trapped carbon dioxide could be processed for reuse, with storage being a temporary solution rather than a permanent one. However, processing can be expensive and time-consuming, and it’s unclear how useful and convenient the resulting products would be. For example, CO2 can be reused into fuels through a lengthy process, but the fuel could be cost-prohibitive.
People have also suggested that investing in carbon capture technology distracts the public from the real concern, which is dependence on fossil fuels. By investing in alternative fuel technologies, governments and the public could be better served in the long run by reducing situations where carbon dioxide is emitted, rather than trying to mitigate emissions as they occur.
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