New direct air capture plant 'Mammoth' opens in Iceland
A new direct air capture plant, called Mammoth, has opened in Iceland to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere using chemicals. The plant is powered by Iceland's geothermal energy and will transport the captured carbon underground for permanent storage. The technology is seen as an important step in the fight against climate change, but some critics have raised concerns about its cost, energy consumption, and potential to prolong fossil fuel production.
Key Points
- Mammoth is the world's largest direct air capture plant
- It can pull 36,000 tons of carbon from the atmosphere annually
- Cost per ton of carbon removed is expected to decrease over time
- Climeworks aims to scale up to 1 billion tons of carbon removal by 2050
Pros
- Helps remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
- Powered by clean geothermal energy
- Plans to scale up carbon removal in the future
Cons
- Controversial due to cost, energy consumption, and unproven scalability
- Concerns about potential distraction from cutting fossil fuels
- Criticism for potential use in prolonging fossil fuel production