Tech companies want to capture carbon at paper mills and sewage plants

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Verge or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Tech giants have committed $80 million to carbon removal initiatives
• $32.1 million is allocated to CREW, a startup capturing CO₂ emissions at wastewater treatment facilities, while $48 million is directed to CO280, which retrofits pulp and paper mills with carbon capture technologies

🔭 The context: As corporations strive to mitigate their carbon footprints, they're exploring diverse carbon removal strategies
• CREW converts CO₂ into ocean-bound bicarbonate using alkaline minerals, while CO280 captures CO₂ from burning "black liquor" in pulp manufacturing and stores it underground

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Implementing carbon capture at industrial sites can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• These efforts aim to address climate change by removing CO₂ from the atmosphere

⏭️ What's next: While these technologies show promise, challenges remain
• High costs and energy consumption pose significant challenges, with critics highlighting the need for a transition to clean energy sources for sustainable climate solutions

💬 One quote: "We do need to be looking at a lot of different kinds of approaches" — Wil Burns, co-director of the Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal at American University

📈 One stat: The cost per ton of CO₂ removal is approximately $447 for CREW and $214 for CO280, highlighting the current expense of these technologies

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