Pulling CO2 from the atmosphere expensive, difficult

Removing CO2 from the atmosphere through a process known as “scrubbing” has been much vaunted as a way to slow the onset of climate change. But new research from MIT, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, shows scrubbing is not only extremely expensive, it could also increase emissions.

Because the process is very energy intensive, it will have to be powered by renewable energy if it is to reduce overall emissions.

“We estimate that total system costs of an air capture system will be on the order of $1,000 per tonne of CO2,” the researchers said, “based on experience with as-built large-scale trace gas removal systems.”