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illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on CNN or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: UK climate tech startup Seabound is developing an onboard carbon capture system for cargo ships to tackle shipping emissions, which account for 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions
• The system captures CO2 using lime pebbles, converting it into limestone for offloading at ports for further processing or reuse
• A pilot with Lomar achieved a 90% CO2 capture rate, positioning the technology as a potential decarbonization tool for the maritime industry
🔭 The context: Shipping’s path to net-zero by 2050 remains uncertain due to the high costs and challenges of alternative fuels like green methanol and ammonia
• Current fleets of over 100,000 ships continue emitting CO2, necessitating retrofittable solutions
• Seabound’s technology minimizes onboard complexity, shifting energy-intensive processes to port-based facilities for scalability and cost reduction
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Decarbonizing shipping is critical to meeting global climate goals, and Seabound’s system offers an efficient way to reduce emissions from existing fleets
• By enabling carbon capture without major infrastructure changes onboard, this technology provides a practical interim solution until renewable fuel alternatives become viable
• Adoption could significantly reduce the maritime sector's environmental footprint
⏭️ What's next: Seabound aims to commercialize its technology by 2025 and is in talks with several shipping companies
• Scaling adoption will depend on port infrastructure development and regulatory support for carbon management
• Collaboration with other carbon capture innovations could further enhance the system’s efficiency and impact
💬 One quote: “We don’t separate, purify, or compress the CO2 on board… We’ve shifted the complicated stuff to happen onshore,” explains CEO Alisha Fredriksson on Seabound’s cost-efficient approach
📈 One stat: Global shipping generates about 3% of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to the emissions of entire countries like Germany
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