The colorless greenhouse gas known as CO2 is one of the most significant regarding global warming. Released into the Earth’s atmosphere from respiration, fermentation and used by plants for photosynthesis, CO2 blocks some of the radiant energy Earth absorbs.

The sour tasting and mildly scented gas has a few methods used against it to rid CO2 from the atmosphere. Direct air capture (DAC) pulls it directly from the air and filters out the gas for a neutral result. Orca is a carbon capture facility in Iceland; it is the largest plant of its kind. The massive factory has one goal: to reduce carbon emissions in the atmosphere.

A sustainable end of life for carbon dioxide

Orca utilizes a three-step process for removing CO2. The carbon dioxide produced by power plants and industrial environments is trapped, transferred, and then buried underground. Through the help of dozens of gigantic fans, Orca draws in air from all around and filters and expels the gas through a heating process. The CO2 is mixed with water and given a final resting place deep below the surface. It gradually shifts from atmospheric waste to rock. Orca is powered by the local, renewable geothermal power station.

Less than two dozen of these air capture plants exist around the globe as of today. Orca cleans the air of roughly 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually, which is close to about what 800 cars would put into the atmosphere. Built by Climeworks in collaboration with Carbfix, this university/industry marriage has created a powerful tool in reducing carbon emissions in the atmosphere.

To contact the author of this article, email ccooney@globalspec.com