Our Scientific Advisory Committee’s member André Bardow is among the authors of the new publication “Environmental trade-offs of direct air capture technologies in climate change mitigation toward 2100”.
Direct air capture (DAC) is critical for achieving stringent climate targets, yet the environmental implications of its large-scale deployment have not been evaluated in this context. Performing a prospective life cycle assessment for two promising technologies in a series of climate change mitigation scenarios, the research finds that electricity sector decarbonisation and DAC technology improvements are both indispensable to avoid environmental problem-shifting. Decarbonising the electricity sector improves the sequestration efficiency, but also increases the terrestrial ecotoxicity and metal depletion levels per tonne of CO2 sequestered via DAC. These increases can be reduced by improvements in DAC material and energy use efficiencies. DAC exhibits regional environmental impact variations, highlighting the importance of smart siting related to energy system planning and integration. DAC deployment aids the achievement of long-term climate targets, its environmental and climate performance however depends on sectoral mitigation actions, and thus should not suggest a relaxation of sectoral decarbonisation targets.
Our Scientific Advisory Committee comprises scientists covering a wide range of expertise related to Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU). They ensure that CO2 Value Europe’s messages and activities are based on solid and objective scientific evidence.
Find the new publication here.
