Startup 44.01, a venture backed by Apollo Projects, has set their sights on tackling climate change in a unique and groundbreaking way. They are working on a method to permanently encapsulate carbon dioxide (CO2) within the Earth’s crust, aiding in large-scale extraction and storage of atmospheric CO2.
The idea is quite ingenious, as it involves capturing CO2, compressing it, and then injecting it into basalt rock formations. Here, through the power of geothermal energy, the CO2 transforms into solid minerals.
One standout feature of this technique is the permanence of the CO2 storage. Far from other carbon capture technologies that risk leaks, this method changes CO2 into a petrified state, meaning it becomes completely environmentally harmless.
This project is still quite young, and thorough examinations and evaluations are required to determine its large-scale feasibility.
44.01’s approach to sustainable carbon capture
However, both Startup 44.01 and Apollo Projects, which is providing key financial support, see a future where this technology significantly helps in mitigating climate change.
Getting this technology to fruition will require collaboration with international environmental agencies and other stakeholders. Currently, the team is rigorously testing the technology in Oman. If successful, it promises a significant tool against the global threat of climate change.
An exciting next step is Startup 44.01’s plan to scale up their carbon capture technology. It currently ensnares between 50 to 60 tons of CO2 daily, with future plans intending to double this number.
This does not lessen the need for large-scale reductions in fossil fuel consumption, the company emphasizes, but rather provides another layer in combating global climate change.
Startup 44.01’s method involves what’s called carbon mineralization, which transforms the CO2 into a solid carbonate stone. In addition to reducing CO2 levels, this technique also opens up the potential use of the resulting solid carbonate in construction materials.
The promise of this technique lies in its potential to lock CO2 away and combat the catastrophic effects of climate change, turning an environmental threat into a sustainable solution.
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