US awards $13.5m to capture carbon dioxide directly from air

Funding will be shared over three years by three laboratory-led research projects, which are focused on different major approaches to capturing carbon

The US Government has announced $13.5 million (£10m) in funding for projects aimed at accelerating the capture of carbon dioxide directly from ambient air.

Funding will be shared over three years by three laboratory-led research projects, which are focused on different major approaches to capturing carbon.

A team led by the Department of Energy (DOE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will explore electrochemical approaches while the Agronne National Laboratory will focus on photochemical methods.

Another team led by the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory aims to understand the degradation processes that limit current methods using forms of chemical absorption.

Dr Chris Fall, Director of DOE’s Office of Science said: “Direct air capture holds promise as an emerging technology with the potential to improve the environment while expanding sources of energy through the conversion of carbon dioxide to fuels and other chemicals.

“Making this technology truly viable will require real breakthroughs in basic science and these efforts are important steps toward that goal.”

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