Why humans are putting a bunch of ‘coal’ and ‘oil’ back in the ground

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

🗞️ Driving the news: Innovations in carbon removal technologies are gaining attention, with a focus on transforming agricultural and other waste biomass into solid carbon, essentially reversing the coal formation process
• This method, involving pyrolysis, is being highlighted as a potential tool for carbon sequestration

🔭 The context: The process involves heating biomass in a low-oxygen environment, transforming it into concentrated carbon
• This is different from bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, as it uses waste biomass instead of crops grown for burning
• The resulting product can be buried underground or used as biochar in agriculture

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: While not a substitute for reducing emissions, this carbon removal technique offers a supplementary approach to address climate change
• It utilizes nature's photosynthesis process to sequester and bury carbon, potentially helping to achieve climate goals

⏭️ What's next: The challenge is scaling up this technology and integrating it into existing waste management and agricultural practices
• Its success depends on balancing the demand for biomass waste and ensuring that carbon removal doesn't become an excuse to avoid reducing emissions

💬 One quote: "The genius in this business model, in many ways, is letting nature do most of the work" (Gernot Wagner, Columbia Business School)

📈 One stat: Biochar accounts for 90 percent of the carbon removal market, where companies pay to offset their greenhouse gas emissions

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