{"id":36330,"date":"2025-06-23T09:01:23","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T07:01:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/?p=36330"},"modified":"2025-06-23T09:02:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T07:02:10","slug":"direct-capture-of-co2-from-the-air-is-the-key-to-decarbonizing-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/2025\/06\/23\/direct-capture-of-co2-from-the-air-is-the-key-to-decarbonizing-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"Direct CO2 capture from the air: The key to decarbonizing Europe?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The European Union (EU) today <a href=\"https:\/\/euagenda.eu\/publications\/download\/638697\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">discusses intensely<\/span><\/a> on its 2040 climate targets, with the Commission proposing <strong>90 % net reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to 1990 levels<\/strong>.<!--more--> Achieving this ambitious goal will require not only <strong>deep reduction of emissions<\/strong>, but also <strong>CO2 removal and utilization<\/strong>It is estimated that by 2040, more than 250 Mt of CO2 will need to be captured annually for storage and use. In this context, Direct Air Capture (DAC) technologies play a key role.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What are DAC technologies?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>DAC is a technology that <strong>captures CO2 directly from the atmosphere<\/strong>There are two main types:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Solid-DAC (S-DAC)<\/strong>: Uses solid sorbents. Offers advantages such as <strong>modularity and use of low-temperature heat<\/strong>, which is suitable for integration with waste heat sources.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Liquid-DAC (L-DAC)<\/strong>: Uses liquid solvents. Relies on <strong>proven materials and processes<\/strong>, supporting scalability and economies of scale.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When CO2 captured by DAC is permanently stored in geological formations or through mineralization, it is called <strong>DAC with carbon storage (DACCS)<\/strong> and allows <strong>permanent CO2 removal<\/strong>If captured CO2 is used to produce fuels or materials that replace more carbon-intensive alternatives, this is referred to as <strong>DAC with carbon utilization (DACCU)<\/strong> and can reduce net emissions through substitution. Both technologies face <strong>high energy consumption and costs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Costs and environmental aspects<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The costs of DACCS are currently significant and are accompanied by <strong>great uncertainties<\/strong> due to limited data and little detailed technical and economic evaluations. The estimated costs for a first-of-its-kind operation range from <strong>200-900 \u20ac\/tCO2 for L-DAC and 600-2400 \u20ac\/tCO2 for S-DAC<\/strong>It is expected that through research and development (R&amp;D), scale and political support, these costs will be <strong>significantly reduce<\/strong>. Future operations could reach costs of \u20ac100\u2013600\/tCO2 (L-DAC) and \u20ac100\u20131200\/tCO2 (S-DAC), with median values of \u20ac210\u2013330\/tCO2 and \u20ac360\/tCO2. DAC technologies require solvents and sorbents and are indirectly dependent on critical materials needed for the expansion of renewable energy sources. Their main environmental impacts are related to <strong>high consumption of energy, water and chemicals<\/strong>. <strong>Choosing a low-carbon energy source for the DACCS process is key<\/strong>, as it significantly affects environmental impacts and CO2 removal potential. DACCS requires <strong>less land<\/strong> compared to many other CO2 removal methods, especially those that rely on biomass.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The role of DACCS in the EU&#039;s climate goals<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Permanent CO2 removal is needed alongside deep emissions reductions to meet EU and global climate goals. However, it is essential that <strong>Reducing emissions remained a priority<\/strong>, because removals alone cannot reverse the carbon budget overshoot. The most promising options for achieving large-scale permanent CO2 removals are <strong>DACCS and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)<\/strong>Both approaches will be needed in Europe, with limited biomass availability for BECCS or declining carbon sinks in the land use sector likely to increase reliance on DACCS.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the high costs, scenario modeling suggests that DACCS may be necessary to achieve <strong>40-60 Mt of CO\u2082 removal per year by 2040<\/strong>to keep the EU on track towards climate neutrality. However, uncertainties about cost developments and unproven large-scale deployment mean that its future role is difficult to predict, and <strong>over-reliance on technologies like DACCS should be avoided<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Investment needs and infrastructure<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The expansion of DACCS between 2030 and 2040 will require <strong>significant close investments<\/strong>The estimated costs of achieving 40 Mt of CO2 removal by 2040 range from <strong>\u20ac12 \u2013 \u20ac24 billion<\/strong>, depending on future cost reductions. Industrial deployment also depends on expanding CO2 transport infrastructure, which will require \u20ac9-23 billion by 2050, and rapidly increasing geological storage capacity beyond the 50 Mt target for 2030 to reach 250 Mt\/year by 2040-2050, covering the needs of fossil CCS, BECCS and DACCS.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Recommendations for the EU policy framework<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For the effective deployment of DACCS in the EU, it is essential <strong>a coherent and forward-looking policy framework<\/strong>Key recommendations include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Setting clear, binding goals<\/strong> for carbon removal that will recognize DACCS as a legitimate climate solution and provide certainty for investors.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Full integration of DACCS<\/strong> into EU and national climate strategies and legislation, with a clearly defined role to avoid greenwashing or crowding out necessary emission reductions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Inclusion of DACCS in the EU ETS<\/strong> or through mandatory carbon removal credits to create a stable investment signal, but with careful implementation to maintain pressure to reduce emissions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Centralised EU regulatory framework<\/strong> to simplify permitting and reduce administrative complexity.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Increased support for DACCS R&amp;D<\/strong> through programs like Horizon Europe to reduce costs and advance technology.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Support for co-location of DACCS devices<\/strong> near suitable geological storage sites to reduce transportation costs and simplify permitting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Decisions in the near future will be crucial in determining the long-term role of DACCS technologies in meeting climate goals. <em><strong>Spring<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Glossary of key terms<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Direct Air Capture (DAC):<\/strong> Technology that captures CO2 directly from the ambient air.<\/li>\n<li><strong>DACCS (Direct Air Capture with Carbon Storage):<\/strong> The process of capturing CO2 directly from the atmosphere and its permanent geological storage or mineralization.<\/li>\n<li><strong>DACCU (Direct Air Capture with Carbon Utilization):<\/strong> The process of capturing CO2 directly from the atmosphere and its subsequent use to produce products (e.g. fuels, materials) that can replace more carbon-intensive alternatives.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fixed DAC (S-DAC):<\/strong> A type of DAC technology that uses solid sorbents to selectively bind CO2 molecules. It is often characterized by modularity and the ability to use low-temperature heat.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Liquid DAC (L-DAC):<\/strong> A type of DAC technology that uses liquid solvents (e.g. potassium hydroxide) to absorb CO2 from the air. It typically relies on established chemical processes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Decarbonization:<\/strong> The process of reducing or eliminating carbon emissions (especially CO2) into the atmosphere, often with the aim of achieving climate neutrality.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Net emission reduction:<\/strong> It refers to the overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, taking into account carbon removals that offset residual emissions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Technology Readiness Level (TRL):<\/strong> A scale used to assess the maturity of a technology, with lower TRLs indicating early stages of research and development and higher TRLs indicating proven and commercially available technologies.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS):<\/strong> A technology that involves capturing CO2 emissions released during biomass combustion and their subsequent storage, resulting in the net removal of CO2 from the atmosphere.<\/li>\n<li><strong>EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS):<\/strong> A &#039;cap-and-trade&#039; system for greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, which sets a limit on total emissions and allows for the trading of emission allowances to ensure cost-effective emission reductions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The European Union (EU) is currently in intensive discussion about its 2040 climate targets, with the Commission proposing a 90% net reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to 1990 levels.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-znizovanie_co2_cdr_ccs_ccu_dac"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36330"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36330\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.co2news.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}