[h알파] ep.43-① Carbon Capture Part 1
News is constantly pouring in, and issues change every moment. ‘h Alpha’ is a video content of the Hankook Ilbo that points out the context between stories that are told in fragments. When an article in print feels difficult and hard, take out ‘h alpha’ from the Hankook Ilbo’s YouTube channel.
Sea surface temperatures that hit record highs, the speed of glacier melting accelerating, extreme heat waves, super typhoons, torrential rains, forest fires, cold waves, heavy snowfall, shrinking forests, and disappearing bees. All are proofs that we are running out of time. The global temperature has soared to the highest level since observation, and the ‘climate crisis’ is now a real crisis.
The main culprit of global warming is carbon!
The biggest cause of this climate crisis is ‘carbon’. Global warming is caused by greenhouse gases that cover the earth’s atmosphere and prevent the heat generated from the earth’s surface from escaping out of the atmosphere. And most of this greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide, or carbon. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which hastened global warming, set a record last month.
The international community has agreed to achieve ‘Net-Zero’ by 2050 to solve the climate crisis. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities as much as possible, and to ‘absorb’ and ‘remove’ the remaining greenhouse gases through forests, etc. to reduce actual emissions to ‘0 (Zero)’.
Collect, bury, and recycle carbon? What is CCUS?
The carbon ‘removal’ technology that emerged at this time is ‘carbon capture’ called CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage: Carbon Dioxide Capture, Storage, and Utilization). Carbon is collected (captured) from facilities such as power plants or from the air, and the collected carbon is buried under the ground or sea or reused as an industrial raw material.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that the amount of carbon that can be reduced through carbon capture will account for 15% of total reductions by 2070. The Korean government also announced its goal of reducing 11.2 million tons of carbon emissions with CCUS by 2030 through the report on the ‘National Strategy for Carbon Neutral Green Growth’ announced in April. Since Korea has a high-carbon industrial structure with a high proportion of manufacturing, instead of immediately changing the industrial structure, carbon capture will be used as a key means of carbon neutrality.
Is carbon capture really a hope to save the future of mankind?
Of course, there is disagreement about whether CCUS can play a key role in achieving net zero. There has been no significant effect compared to the scale of investment so far, and there are concerns that safety cannot be guaranteed because the stored carbon may leak. It is also a subject of debate that another carbon may be generated during the carbon capture process. If there is not enough space to bury carbon in the country where carbon is to be captured, it will have to be moved to another country, so there is a possibility that it will become a sensitive issue intertwined with environmental issues and international issues.
Is carbon capture really the key to solving the climate crisis? Or is it sham greenwashing? To find this answer, hAlpha and the Hankook Ilbo Climate Response Team visited Australia, Iceland, and Canada, which are advanced countries in carbon capture. From the demonstration center where you can see carbon capture technology, we covered the actual carbon capture site and listened to the vivid voices of those who have studied carbon capture for a long time.
The current state of carbon capture in 2023 can be confirmed through Carbon Capture 2, which will be released on the 27th.
※ Go to hAlpha YouTube video
Sobeom Han Reporter [email protected]
Heejeong Choi PD [email protected]
Seonyeong Je Author [email protected]
What are the major challenges and concerns associated with implementing carbon capture technology on a large scale, and how are they being addressed
30. Carbon capture technology has the potential to play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing the climate crisis. The process, known as CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage), involves collecting and storing carbon dioxide from power plants and other industrial facilities.
With global temperatures reaching record highs and the effects of climate change becoming increasingly visible, it is crucial that we find ways to reduce carbon emissions. Greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, trap heat in the earth’s atmosphere and contribute to global warming. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reached a record high last month, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
To combat this, the international community has set a goal of achieving ‘Net-Zero’ emissions by 2050. This means reducing greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities as much as possible and finding ways to remove and store the remaining carbon dioxide.
Carbon capture technology offers a promising solution. By capturing carbon dioxide from power plants and other sources, it can prevent the gas from being released into the atmosphere. The captured carbon can then be stored underground or underwater, or even repurposed as an industrial raw material.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that carbon capture technology could account for 15% of total emissions reductions by 2030. This highlights its potential to make a significant impact in our efforts to combat climate change.
However, carbon capture technology is not without its challenges. It requires significant investment and infrastructure to implement on a large scale. Additionally, there are concerns about the long-term storage of captured carbon and the potential for leaks or other environmental risks.
Despite these challenges, research and development in carbon capture technology is ongoing. Governments, private companies, and international organizations are investing in innovation and exploring ways to make the process more efficient and cost-effective.
Carbon capture technology is just one piece of the puzzle in addressing the climate crisis. It must be combined with efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, and sustainable practices. However, it offers a promising avenue for reducing carbon emissions and mitigating the impact of climate change.
As the urgency of the climate crisis continues to grow, it is crucial that we explore all possible solutions. Carbon capture technology has the potential to play a significant role in our transition to a more sustainable and carbon-neutral future.
It’s promising to see the exploration of carbon capture as a potential solution to the climate crisis. While further research and investment are needed, it could offer a significant step towards mitigating the impact of greenhouse gas emissions.
Yes, carbon capture has shown promising potential in combating the climate crisis, but it cannot be considered a standalone solution. While it may help reduce emissions, we must prioritize sustainable alternatives and adapt our behaviors to truly address the root causes of climate change.