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How Much Energy Would It Take to Pull Carbon Dioxide out of the Air? (www.wired.com)

submitted 6 months ago by jeffw to c/technology

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[–] Hugin 7 points 6 months ago (3 children)

Algae doesn't capture it for long. Trees do it for longer but not long enough to be more then a speed bump. Unless we start dumping algae and trees into giant pits and sealing them up three is no long term carbon capture.

[–] mojo_raisin 5 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Biochar (created in a retort) is how you sustainably sequester carbon for the long-term using trees (and similar biomass).

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Good point. I'm curious how the total amount of energy and resources utilized to grow, harvest, and char algae compares to direct CO2 removal. Ultimately, I just want something that works without generating another issue.

[–] mojo_raisin 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I think the key would be to not use any additional resources to grow, harvest, etc.

This could be done for example by landscaping companies that put their waste through a retort (which could be anything from a stove made of mud bricks, to a mobile trailer that does on-site pyrolysis and use the resulting biochar to fertilize their customer's plants. Farms could put their waste through it, innoculate the biochar with animal waste, and use it as fertilizer.

I make biochar from my backyard waste in my firepit using a can like this guy.

Any other method of carbon capture I've ever heard about makes no sense. Having hundreds of engineers and workers drive to work for years to engineer and build giant metal and plastic factory/machines with parking lots that require staff that has to drive and park there, etc is nonsense. And even if they work, what would they do with the carbon? Biochar provides a cycle that is accessible to everyone, can be done on-site, uses no fancy technology, nothing is patented, and doesn't require all this nonsense.

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[–] 3volver 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Algae doesn’t capture it for long.

Not true, it depends on how it's contained. Drying algae and removing the water will stop it from decomposing. Think of seaweed used for sushi except ground up into a very dense powder. Algae will decompose if left hydrated in the sun though.

[–] Lemming6969 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Where you getting the energy to capture and dry algae that results in a total positive capture?

[–] 3volver 1 points 6 months ago

Solar, wind, nuclear, green hydrogen, hydro, geothermal.