Battery Tech Captures CO2 Cheaper

Researchers have developed a new battery-based electrochemical method for capturing carbon dioxide, potentially offering a more energy-efficient and cost-effective alternative to current technologies. This system utilizes a reversible chemical reaction within a battery cell to capture CO2 from the air. The process involves hydroxide produced at the cathode reacting with CO2 to form carbonate, which then releases CO2 gas at the anode when the voltage is reversed.

The lab-scale device demonstrated an electricity consumption rate of approximately 0.8 megawatt-hours per ton of captured CO2. This is considerably lower than the 1.5 to 3 megawatt-hours per ton used by existing direct air capture facilities. The team's startup, RepAir Carbon, estimates that a scaled-up plant with a thousand times the capacity of their pilot could achieve costs as low as $92 per ton of captured CO2.

This projected cost is substantially cheaper than the $250-$350 per ton targeted by companies like Climeworks by 2030. Achieving costs around $100 per ton has long been a benchmark for widespread adoption in the carbon capture sector. The development of diverse technologies like this battery-based approach improves the likelihood of reaching this critical cost threshold.