Rocks’ carbon storage capacity vastly overestimated: study , Pg10

Key Highlights:

• A Nature study reveals Earth's safe underground CO2 storage capacity is about 1,460 billion tonnes.
• Previous estimates suggested a capacity of 11,800 billion tonnes, but the study found only a tenth is suitable.
• The limit could be reached by 2200 if storage use continues at the current pace.
• Russia, the US, and Saudi Arabia have higher storage capacities, while India and many European countries have lower capacities.

Detailed Insights:

• Geological carbon storage involves capturing CO2 and injecting it into rock formations for long-term storage.
• The study mapped global sedimentary basins, excluding areas near earthquake zones, polar regions, and biodiversity hotspots.
• The maximum possible temperature reversal through storage is capped at about 0.7º C, insufficient to fix global warming alone.
• Treating storage as a finite resource raises questions about its use for continued fossil fuel use versus benefiting future generations.
• Emission cuts, transitions to renewable energy, changes in industry, and conservation of natural carbon sinks are crucial.
• The study did not account for obstacles in scaling up carbon capture and storage technology or future technological developments.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Geological Carbon Storage: Capturing CO2 from sources and injecting it into underground rock formations for storage.
• Sedimentary Basins: Large rock formations suitable for CO2 storage due to their porous and permeable nature.
• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): Technologies used to capture CO2 emissions from sources and store them.