The coolest thing just launched: a totally fab new carbon removal plant in Tuas, western Singapore. This groundbreaking project is a collaboration between UCLA, their spin-off Equatic, and Singapore’s national water agency PUB, along with the National Research Foundation.
The Lowdown
The plant, which launched on June 29, 2024, is designed to remove a whopping 3,650 metric tons of CO2 per year—that’s 8 million pounds! For some perspective, that’s equivalent to the annual carbon emissions of almost 850 people. This fab new facility uses cutting-edge technology called direct air capture (DAC) which involves electrolysis to break down seawater, removing CO2 and producing carbon-negative hydrogen as a byproduct.
The Tech Deets
Here’s how it works:
- Seawater Intake: Seawater is brought into the plant.
- Electrolysis Process: An electric current passes through the seawater, splitting it into hydrogen and oxygen. This process enhances the ocean’s natural capacity to absorb CO2, effectively capturing it from both the seawater and the atmosphere.
- Carbon Storage: The CO2 is securely stored as solid minerals like calcium and magnesium-based materials for at least 10,000 years.
- Hydrogen Production: The process also produces carbon-negative hydrogen, which is super clean and can be used as a fuel.
Why It’s Totally Fab
This technology is revolutionary for a few reasons:
- Scalability: Equatic aims to scale this up to remove 100,000 tonnes of CO2 annually by 2026 and millions of tonnes by 2028, all for less than $100 per tonne.
- Dual Benefit: Not only does it remove CO2, but it also produces hydrogen fuel that’s carbon-negative, meaning it helps reduce emissions even more.
- Funding and Support: The project has garnered over $20 million in initial funding from prestigious sources like the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, and the U.S. Department of Energy.
The Bigger Picture
I think we’ve all realized that cutting emissions isn’t enough; we need to actively remove CO2 from the atmosphere to fight climate change. This plant is a massive step in the right direction. Plus, producing carbon-negative hydrogen means we’re hitting two birds with one stone—removing harmful CO2 and providing a clean fuel source.
In conclusion, this new plant in Singapore is a major win for our planet. It’s efficient, scalable, and a fantastic example of how innovative technology can lead the fight against climate change. Let’s give a big round of applause to Equatic and their partners for making this happen. Yay, science! 🌿🌊✨
For more deets, you can check out the full scoop here.
XOXO
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