CO2 absorbing machine unveiled

The technology, which IMechE says could be rolled-out as early as 2018, works by absorbing CO₂, the largest contributor to global warming, from the air. Once captured, the CO₂ could be used in industrial processes or be transported for safe storage underground.

The device is being shown by Dr Tim Fox, head of environment at IMechE and Professor Klaus Lackner, from Columbia University, New York. Fox said: “As this device shows, this breakthrough technology works. What we need from Government and industry isn’t vast amounts of funding, but strategic direction of where this technology could fit in to the strategy for dealing with climate change. “Apart from being a vital technology for dealing with difficult to manage emissions like those from aviation and shipping, this technology could also be a vital tool for setting a definitive price for CO₂. Air capture technology can handle any type of CO₂ emission from all sources, so would set an upper limit for a CO₂ price. This could help provide more investor certainty for companies wanting to invest in big projects like building new power stations, wind farms or factories.”