Climeworks, a Swiss cleantech company, has partnered with Reykjavik Energy to combine direct air capture (DAC) technology with safe and permanent geological storage for the first time ever. The result is the first negative emissions power plant in the world.
The EU-backed collaborative research project centers around one of the world’s largest geothermal power plants in Hellisheidi, Iceland. A Climeworks DAC module was installed on-site to capture CO2 from ambient air. The Climeworks technology draws in ambient air and captures the CO2 with a patented filter. Then, the filter is heated with low-grade heat from the geothermal plant to release the pure CO2.
Courtesy Climeworks.
The captured CO2 is then bound to water and sent more than 700 meters underground. Once it reaches its underground location, the CO2 reacts with the basaltic bedrock and forms solid minerals to create a permanent storage solution.
Basalt core containing carbonates. Photo: Sandra O Snaebjornsdottir.
The project will test how the highly scalable technology works with the specific weather conditions at the location in southwest Iceland.
Photo: Climeworks / Zev Starr-Tambor.
Related Stories
Education Facilities | Jun 4, 2021
Three ProConnect events coming this fall: Sustainability (Nov 2-3), Education (Nov 16-17), Multifamily (Dec 12-14)
SGC Horizon ProConnect 2021 schedule for Education, Multifamily, Office, and Single Family events.
Sustainability | May 28, 2021
Nexii builds the first sustainably constructed Popeyes restaurant in Canada
The new restaurant was built in under two weeks.
High-rise Construction | May 27, 2021
The anti-high rise: Seattle's The Net by NBBJ
In this exclusive video interview for HorizonTV, Ryan Mullenix, Design Partner with NBBJ, talks with BD+C's John Caulfield about a new building in Seattle called The Net that promotes wellness and connectivity.
Wood | May 14, 2021
What's next for mass timber design?
An architect who has worked on some of the nation's largest and most significant mass timber construction projects shares his thoughts on the latest design trends and innovations in mass timber.
Sustainability | May 12, 2021
Climate modeling for a resilient business and future
This post explores changes that developers and their teams need to make to their risk and resilience strategies by climate modeling for climate change.
Sustainability | Apr 23, 2021
AIA honors exceptional designs with its COTE Top Ten Awards
Projects integrate high design with advanced performance in ten key areas.
Industry Research | Apr 9, 2021
BD+C exclusive research: What building owners want from AEC firms
BD+C’s first-ever owners’ survey finds them focused on improving buildings’ performance for higher investment returns.
Sustainability | Mar 9, 2021
First-of-its-kind Starbucks built in just six days
The store is set to open in Canada in mid-March.
Daylighting | Mar 7, 2021
Texas intermediate school lets the sun really shine in
Solatube tubular daylighting devices bring sunlight into the two-story commons/media space for 600 students in grades 3-5 at Sunnyvale Intermediate School.
