Technology against climate change: eliminate CO2 with sunlight

Technology to remove co3 with sunlight

As we reduce our carbon dioxide emissions to comply with the Paris Agreement, one of the alternatives is to develop technologies against climate change based on the elimination of existing CO2. There are numerous strategies, from the mineralization of CO2 to the use of green hydrogen, that is, produced by means of renewable energies.

As can be seen, the greatest efforts are focused on the use of alternative energies and carbon dioxide capture methods. Carbon dioxide capture can be carried out in two ways. In the first place, by direct means, that is, using industrial processes such as mineralization or intervening in the seas with alkalinization techniques. The oceans are acidifying, so using alkaline compounds such as calcium hydroxide could reverse the trend and improve their CO2 absorption capacity. The other approach, of an indirect nature, involves recovering ecosystems and soils, both through reforestation and regenerative agriculture that promotes biodiversity.

The recent conclusions of the IPCC panel, which confirm the human origin of global warming and the little time left to contain the increase in temperatures, show the need for a change in energy models, although with the use of new technological solutions to accelerate the reduction of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

One of the latest technologies in the fight against climate change comes from the field of photocatalysts. Instead of resorting to methods such as carbon dioxide capture, the goal is to break down existing gases or transform them into other products, be it fuels or even fertilizers.

Photocatalysts have been studied for years, but their low efficiency made them unfeasible as a large-scale alternative for carbon dioxide reduction. Fortunately, this technology against climate change now has new materials such as MOFs or nanotechnology, which could make it a front-line contender in the decarbonization of the economy.