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
| Nov 14, 2012
U.S. Green Building Council partners with Pearson
Partnership will help further USGBC’s mission by advancing green building education
| Nov 14, 2012
U.S. Green Building Council announces grant from Google to catalyze transformation of building materials industry and indoor health
Focus is on healthy building materials to promote indoor environmental quality and human health
| Nov 14, 2012
USGBC's Greenbuild International Conference and Expo kicks off in San Francisco
7,000 members of the green building industry convene for opening plenary headlined by "Morning Joe" co-hosts Mika Brzezinksi and Joe Scarborough
| Nov 13, 2012
Turner Construction’s green building Market Barometer reveals new findings on green building and certification
Respondents indicated a widespread commitment to sustainable practices
| Nov 12, 2012
Legrand Shares New Energy Savings Resources Aimed at Promoting Better Energy Management
Company Announces the First in a Set of Comprehensive Resources to Help Companies Take Steps to Improve Energy Performance
| Nov 11, 2012
Greenbuild 2012 Report: Higher Education
More and more colleges and universities see sustainainably designed buildings as a given
| Oct 3, 2012
Fifth public comment period now open for update to USGBC's LEED Green Building Program
LEED v4 drafts and the public comment tool are now available on the newly re-launched, re-envisioned USGBC.org website.
