ggr technologies
current greenhouse gas removal technologies
Removal is achieved through a wide variety of approaches, involving either biology, accelerating natural inorganic reactions with rocks, or engineered chemical processes.
While some GGR methods are already operating somewhere in the world, others require significant development and demonstration before they can remove emissions at scale.
GGR methods also require resources, like land, energy or water, placing limits on the scale and location of their application, and leading to resource competition between them and with other human activities, such as food production.
Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) technologies which recapture already emitted greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and ocean, can play a significant role in achieving net zero.
Current examples on GGR technologies include Climeworks, Carbon Engineering, Drax and Project Vesta.
Carbon Cure and Charm Industrial are also examples of carbon storage technologies.
While some GGR methods are already operating somewhere in the world, others require significant development and demonstration before they can remove emissions at scale.
Types of greenhouse gas removal
Forestry
Growing new trees and improving the management of existing forests. As forests grow they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and store it in living biomass, dead organic matter and soils.
Habitat Restoration
Restoring peatlands and coastal wetlands to increase their ability to store carbon. This also prevents carbon release through further degradation, often providing a number of other co-benefits.
Ocean fertilisation
Applying nutrients to the ocean to increase photosynthesis and remove atmospheric CO2.
Ocean alkalinity
Increasing ocean concentration of ions like calcium to increase uptake of CO2 into the ocean, and reverse acidification.
Enhanced terrestrial weathering
Spreading ground-down rocks on agricultural land, which react with CO2 in the air.
Biochar
Burning biomass in the absence of oxygen (pyrolysis) to create a charcoal-like product which can stabilise organic matter when added to the soil.
Soil carbon sequestration
Changing agricultural practices such as tillage or crop rotations to increase the soil carbon content.
Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)
Using biomass for energy, capturing the CO2 emissions and storing them to provide lifecycle GGR.
Direct air capture and carbon storage (DACCS)
Using engineered processes to capture atmospheric CO2 for subsequent geological storage.
Low-carbon concrete
Altering the constituents, the manufacture, or the recycling method of concrete to increase its storage of CO2
Building with biomass
Using forestry materials in buildings extends the time of carbon storage of natural biomass and enables additional forestry growth.
Mineral carbonation
Accelerating the conversion of silicate rocks to carbonates either above or below the surface to provide permanent storage for CO2.
greenhouse gas removal case studies
carbon engineering
Carbon Engineering uses Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology to capture carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere.
Climeworks
Climeworks develops, builds and operates direct air capture machines to capture carbon dioxide directly from the air.
News and Events
Onshore geological carbon storage has potential in the UK, but key knowledge and regulatory gaps remain – ONZ report
A new report by a team of Oxford Net Zero researchers reviews the current state of knowledge on onshore geological carbon storage (GCS) and its feasibility in the UK. Read more
Oxford launches revised Offsetting Principles
As part of their net zero strategies, many companies, organisations, cities, regions and financial institutions are relying on voluntary carbon credits to offset their residual emissions. But evidence continues to cast doubt on the integrity of ... Read more
Job Opening at ONZ: Impact and Operations Officer
Oxford Net Zero is looking for a highly organised and motivated Impact and Operations Officer to join its team. You will be working alongside the Programme Manager, Cath Ibbotson, and the Head of Policy and Partnerships, Kaya Axelsson to ... Read more
Net Zero Regulation Stocktake Publishes Results
A new report published by Oxford Net Zero presents a comprehensive ‘stocktake’ of developments in net-zero regulation across the G20 in 2023. It focuses primarily on four regulatory domains: claims and financial products standards, disclosure, ... Read more
New ONZ report on rolling out renewables in the Global South
The scaling up of clean electricity, and using it to decarbonise other parts of the economy, is central to all decarbonisation pathways. In their latest report, “Rolling out renewables in the Global South”, Oxford Net Zero’s Sam Fankhauser ... Read more
Oxford Net Zero at COP28
The Oxford Net Zero community is mobilising its collective expertise to help drive ambition at COP28, being held in the UAE from 30 November – 12 December. Read more
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