Use excess atmospheric carbon dioxide as renewable energy resource

Earth is warming at very high pace, to which we named global warming. Main causes of global warming are Green House Gases. The main aim of the Paris agreement is to holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change. To hold the temperature within in limited range, we have to main focus on reducing the concentration of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Scientist developed the different method to capture, sequestration, and utilization. The natural well-known method of carbon sequestration is growing tree. Trees capture the CO2 and store them until they are burned. The new most reliable method to remove carbon dioxide from the environment is Carbon dioxide capture and sequestration (CCS). The research was done by Farahiyah Abdul Rahman  titled ” Pollution to solution: Capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) and its utilization as a renewable energy source for a sustainable future” was mainly focused on CCS technique.

Techniques which are used in the CCS technique

  1. Absorption: In this process, CO2 gas is absorbed in a liquid solvent by formation of a chemically bonded compound. Once bonded, the solvent is conducted to another compartment where it is heated to release the CO2. Then, the solvent is reused for the upcoming cycle of the CO2 absorption process.
  2. Adsorption: This process involves the selective uptake of CO2 onto a solid surface, which is subsequently regenerated by lowering the pressure or increasing the temperature to release the adsorbed CO2.
  3. Membrane system: In this method, CO2 is separated from flue gas by selectively permeating it through a membrane material.
But there is some limitation of CCS technique, we have to utilize this in a sustainable way. One of the potential ways to utilize captured carbon is to produce it as a biofuel. The Carbon dioxide can be chemically transformed from a damaging GHG to valuable, renewable biofuel which is also used as an alternative to fossil fuel for our economic growth.
Biofuel conversion from the crop is practiced in many countries but it is not a better method according to research because the biofuel produced from crop could increase GHG emission through the generation of flue gas emission from the machinery used for such crop production activities.
The utilization fo carbon obtained by using CCS technology for biofuel is more sustainable than utilizing biofuel obtained from fermentation of crop.
Source:- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.01.011

 

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