Carbon sequestration solutions: Store CO2 safely in geological formations.
Carbon sequestration solutions are the methods for permanently storing carbon dioxide, preventing its release into the atmosphere. The two principal categories are geological and biological. Geological sequestration involves injecting captured, compressed CO2 into deep subsurface rock formations, typically saline aquifers or depleted oil and gas reservoirs. This method is crucial for large-scale, industrial-level storage capacity.
Biological sequestration, on the other hand, involves enhancing natural carbon sinks, such as afforestation, reforestation, and soil management, where carbon is stored in biomass or soil organic matter. A growing technological approach is carbon mineralization, which reacts CO2 with certain minerals to form solid carbonates, offering an intrinsically permanent and safe form of storage, though at a slower rate.
FAQs:
Q: What is the fundamental difference between geological and biological carbon sequestration?
A: Geological sequestration involves engineering processes to inject and store compressed CO2 underground, while biological sequestration enhances natural processes like plant growth and soil uptake.
Q: What is the primary advantage of using depleted oil and gas reservoirs for geological sequestration?
A: The subsurface geology is already well-characterized from decades of extraction, and existing infrastructure can often be repurposed for CO2 injection.
Q: What emerging sequestration solution offers the most inherent long-term safety and permanence?
A: Carbon mineralization, which chemically converts the gaseous CO2 into a stable, solid, and non-reactive carbonate rock form.
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