Reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is a critical element in the fight against climate change. This is why EU researchers at the CarbFix2 Horizon2020 Energy CINEA-managed project have pioneered a novel method of capturing emissions and storing them underground as rock.
The project was centred at the giant Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant in Iceland, one of the largest in the world. The plant harnesses volcanic heat to generate electricity and provide hot water for much of the country’s population. Continuous capture of CO2 emissions from the steam emitted by the plant has been ongoing since 2014.
What makes CarbFix2’s innovation unique is that captured CO2 is dissolved in large volumes of water, and then permanently stored underground in the form of rock. The process is a little like adding CO2 to bottled water in order to make a fizzy drink – but on a much larger scale. Chemical reactions then solidify the dissolved CO2 into rock, preventing it from escaping into the atmosphere.
The project recently played host to American actor Zac Efron for ‘Down to Earth’, a Netflix travel show exploring healthy and sustainable ways to live, and has been featured on the BBC, HBO, National Geographic and more.
Additionally, CarbFix is an example of the synergies between EU-funding programmes with the Coda Terminal and Silverstone projects financed by the Innovation Fund programme with the revenues of the EU Emissions Trading System.
Read here for more information about the project!