Certain rocks naturally react with CO2 in the air when it rains, turning the CO2 into minerals. This is a very slow process that has been happening already for millions of years. Enhanced rock weathering projects create a high-speed version of this process by crushing these rocks into dust and spreading it on fields.
Direct Air Capture machines use powerful fans to suck up large quantities of outside air and filter out the CO2. Through this process, they end up with pure CO2 that was removed directly from the atmosphere. This CO2 can be stored in different ways, but usually it is stored in underground geological formations where it remains for millions of years.
All plants and trees remove CO2 out of the air as they grow, but they emit it again if they decompose or burn. By turning plants into bio-oil, the carbon that was removed by the plants can be injected in old oil wells where it stays for millions of years. Ideally, waste plant materials are used, for example from agriculture.
All plants and trees remove CO2 out of the air as they grow, but they emit it again if they decompose or burn. By turning plants into biochar, a stable type of charcoal that keep the carbon from being re-emitted, the carbon that was removed by the plants is locked away for hundreds to thousands of years. Ideally, waste plant materials are used, for example from agriculture.
