Sucking UP CO2 Gets Cheap

One solution to excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (besides not putting it there) is to extract it with large mechanical/chemical processes. The idea seemed outlandish because any machine is small relative to the planet. But, sites were established, the concept proved technically feasible, but expensive: ~$600 per ton. A bit of experience later, a bit of economy of scale, and the price came down to about $100 per ton. Few of us buy carbon dioxide, so some perspective that’s possibly handy is the price of coal, which has a lot of carbon in it, is about $20 per ton to $100 per ton, depending on the type. Such a technique will still cost money, but in more familiar terms, it will cost about $0.22 per liter, or close to $1 per gallon of gas. While that may be a lot for many, it’s also within the reach of many others – and may be necessary.

“Sucking Carbon Dioxide From Air Is Cheaper Than Scientists Thought” – Nature