Google’s bets on carbon capture power plants, which have a mixed record

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🗞️ Driving the news: Google has announced an investment in a natural gas power plant in Illinois that plans to capture 90% of its carbon emissions
• The plant will be located next to an ethanol facility operated by Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM), with plans to inject captured CO2 into geological storage formations, a method already used by ADM for CO2 sequestration
• However, despite the promises of carbon capture and storage (CCS), the technology has faced setbacks and mixed results in real-world applications

🔭 The context: CCS is considered a key technology to reduce carbon emissions from industries like power generation, but its effectiveness has been inconsistent
• A recent study showed that several CCS facilities, including one by ExxonMobil, are falling short of their carbon capture targets
• Concerns persist about the broader environmental impact of natural gas extraction, particularly methane leaks, which can significantly undermine the benefits of CCS by contributing to global warming

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: While CCS technology holds promise for reducing emissions from power plants, it remains challenging to implement at scale
• Google’s investment highlights the importance of scaling up such technologies in the transition to net-zero emissions, but ongoing issues with methane leaks and storage failures underscore the need for more reliable, sustainable solutions
• The effectiveness of CCS could play a crucial role in mitigating the climate impact of industries reliant on fossil fuels

⏭️ What’s next: Google’s investment in this CCS project will be closely watched as it moves forward
• The success or failure of this project may influence the future of CCS in the U.S. and beyond, especially as the world seeks scalable methods to combat climate change
• Additionally, challenges related to methane leakage and the risks of geological storage need to be addressed for CCS to become a long-term solution to power plant emissions

💬 One quote: "Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has a mixed record in the field," noted experts, pointing out that many facilities have not met their promised capture rates, as seen in projects in Wyoming and Canada

📈 One stat: A recent study of 13 CCS facilities covering 55% of captured carbon showed that most facilities aren’t living up to their expectations

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