An Israeli start-up is planning to capture and recycle carbon dioxide. Here’s all about how fleets of balloons can help in lowering carbon emissions.
How can balloons reduce carbon emissions?
Carbon emissions are the main culprit behind climate change. They are formed due to the burning of fossil fuels and industrial agriculture. However, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at regular temperatures is an energy-consuming and tedious job. Additionally, it is not cost-effective.
Hence, High Hopes Labs, a startup from Israel is planning to capture the carbon at an almost-solidified stage. While carbon is not almost-solid on the earth, it is when it’s up in the atmosphere. “The beautiful thing is that capturing gas is very easy when it’s close to freezing,” stated Nadav Mansdorf, the CEO.
How is this possible?
The firm has tested this system on a small scale by releasing gas-filled balloons that have a box with the carbon-capturing device. “Carbon is freezing in minus 80 degrees Celsius and the only place that we can find carbon in a temperature close to that is 9 miles above our heads,” added Mansdorf.
Once captured, the balloons with frozen carbon are brought back to earth. Additionally, it is very easy to separate and recycle it. High Hopes Labs is aiming to make larger balloons in the next to years. According to their estimation, each such balloon can remove one tonne of carbon a day. Moreover, with this technology, the costs will be under $100 for a tonne of carbon. This is much lower than the on-ground facilities we are currently using for carbon removal.