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See everything about the Orca and Mammoth CO2 capture plants and Iceland's mega sustainability project!
Located at Iceland, the innovative plant Orca is the first in the world to operate on an industrial scale for capture carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere and store it safely underground. This measure is a bold bet in the fight against global warming, according to Poder360.
To face the growing challenge of global warming, the Swiss company weatherworks developed a pioneering technology: the power plant Orca, located in Hellisheiði, Iceland. Operating since September 2021, this plant captures carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air and stores it in the ground, significantly contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Orca's current capacity is to remove 4.000 tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere per year, the equivalent of the emissions of 900 gasoline-powered cars.
The expansion of CO₂ capture in Iceland
On May 8, 2024, the weatherworks took an even bigger step by opening a second facility, called Mammoth, close to capital Reykjavik. Ten times larger than the Orca, the Mammoth is capable of capturing 36.000 tons of CO₂ per year. With this expansion, the company aims to eliminate millions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by 2030. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global CO₂ emissions have reached 37,4 gigatons in 2023.
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How CO₂ capture works
Pedro Luiz Gomes Martins, geosciences researcher at the University of Brasília (UnB), explains that there are several T to capture CO₂ from the atmosphere. “Key technologies include post-combustion capture, pre-combustion and direct atmospheric capture. At Climeworks, they use direct air capture, followed by storage in suitable geological formations underground, such as basalt in Iceland, where CO₂ is stored for up to 10.000 years”, details Martins. Carbon dioxide is injected at high pressure and temperature, reacting with minerals to form stable carbonates over time.
Iceland is an ideal location for this type of technology due to its volcanic activity, which provides clean geothermal energy and basalt formations perfect for storing CO₂. Another company, CarbFix, is responsible for storing the gas underground, ensuring safety and continuous monitoring to prevent leaks.
Global potential and economic viability
In addition to Iceland, other countries such as Norway, Japan, the United States, Australia and Canada have favorable geological conditions for the implementation of carbon capture and storage (CCS) plants. “These countries have basalt formations and geothermal resources that could support similar projects”, comments Martins. He also highlights that the economic viability of CAC depends on government policies and financial incentives to reduce the high costs of capturing, transporting and storing CO₂.
Edda Aradóttir, representative of CarbFix, stated that the goal is for large CO₂-emitting industries to hire the company's services to deposit their emissions in Iceland. However, despite the proven technical capacity, there are still challenges to be overcome, such as reducing costs and properly selecting storage locations.
Possibilities for Brazil
Brazil, with its vast areas of basalt rocks, especially in the South region, also presents potential for carbon capture and storage projects. According to a study published in the journal Nature, the Paraná Basin is a promising location for CO₂ mineralization. “With investments in research and development, Brazil can explore this potential and contribute to the mitigation of climate change”, concludes Martins. Currently, Brazilian federal universities are conducting research to promote CO₂ mineralization in the country's basalt rocks.
The Climeworks initiative in Iceland is just the beginning of a green revolution which can expand globally, helping to combat global warming in an effective and innovative way.
Environmental impact equipment that eliminates dust, soot, smoke, is not a filter, it is used as a chimney or in the chimney of the mining industry, incinerators, cement factories, charcoal kilns, coal burners, locomotives, ships, it cleans the air and solid waste from rivers, lakes and oceans, preventing diseases caused by these pollutants, it eliminates and prevents the deposit of urban waste, landfills, leachate, methane gas, preventing urban disease, it helps contain the increase in the ozone layer and global warming, the best solution for environmental pollution, hug.