Storing carbon in a carbon pool (natural as well as enhanced or artificial processes)
This article is about storing carbon so that it is not in the atmosphere. For removing carbon dioxide from industrial point sources before it enters the atmosphere, see
Carbon capture and storage. For removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (and negative emissions), see
Carbon dioxide removal.
Carbon sequestration is the process of storing carbon in a
carbon pool.[2]: 2248 It plays a crucial role in
mitigating climate change by reducing the amount of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. There are two main types of carbon sequestration: biologic (also called biosequestration) and geologic.[3] Biologic carbon sequestration is a naturally occurring process as part of the
carbon cycle. Humans can enhance it through deliberate actions and use of technology. Carbon dioxide (CO 2) is naturally captured from the
atmosphere through biological, chemical, and physical processes. These processes can be accelerated for example through changes in land use and agricultural practices, called
carbon farming. Artificial processes have also been devised to produce similar effects. This approach is called
carbon capture and storage. It involves using technology to capture and sequester (store) CO 2 that is produced from human activities underground or under the sea bed.
Forests,
kelp beds, and other forms of plant life absorb carbon dioxide from the air as they grow, and bind it into biomass. However, these biological stores are considered impermanent
carbon sinks as the long-term sequestration cannot be guaranteed. For example, natural events, such as
wildfires or disease, economic pressures and changing political priorities can result in the sequestered carbon being released back into the atmosphere.[4]
Carbon dioxide that has been removed from the atmosphere can also be stored in the Earth's crust by injecting it into the subsurface, or in the form of
insolublecarbonate salts. The latter process is called
mineral sequestration. These methods are considered non-volatile because they not only remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere but also sequester it indefinitely. This means the carbon is "locked away" for thousands to millions of years.
To enhance carbon sequestration processes in oceans the following technologies have been proposed:
Seaweed farming,
ocean fertilization,
artificial upwelling, basalt storage, mineralization and deep sea sediments, adding bases to neutralize acids.[5] However, none have achieved large scale application so far.
The term carbon sequestration is used in different ways in the literature and media. The
IPCC Sixth Assessment Report defines it as "The process of storing carbon in a carbon pool".[2]: 2248 Subsequently, a pool is defined as "a reservoir in the Earth system where elements, such as carbon and nitrogen, reside in various chemical forms for a period of time".[2]: 2244
The
United States Geological Survey (USGS) defines carbon sequestration as follows: "Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide."[3] Therefore, the difference between carbon sequestration and
carbon capture and storage (CCS) is sometimes blurred in the media. The IPCC however defines CCS as "a process in which a relatively pure stream of
carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial sources is separated, treated and transported to a long-term storage location".[6]: 2221
History of the term (etymology)
The term sequestration is based on the
Latinsequestrare, which means set aside or surrender. It is derived from sequester, a depositary or trustee, one in whose hands a thing in dispute was placed until the dispute was settled. In English "sequestered" means secluded or withdrawn.[7]
In law,
sequestration is the act of removing, separating, or seizing anything from the possession of its owner under process of law for the benefit of
creditors or the state.[7]
Carbon dioxide is naturally captured from the atmosphere through biological, chemical or physical processes, and stored in long-term reservoirs.
Forests,
kelp beds, and other forms of plant life absorb carbon dioxide from the air as they grow, and bind it into biomass. However, these biological stores are considered volatile
carbon sinks as the long-term sequestration cannot be guaranteed. Events such as
wildfires or disease, economic pressures and changing political priorities can result in the sequestered carbon being released back into the atmosphere.[8]
Carbon sequestration, when applied for climate change mitigation, can either build on enhancing naturally occurring carbon sequestration or use technology for carbon sequestration processes.[citation needed]
Within the carbon capture and storage approaches, carbon sequestration refers to the storage component. Artificial carbon storage technologies can be applied, such as gaseous storage in deep geological formations (including saline formations and exhausted gas fields), and solid storage by reaction of CO2 with metal
oxides to produce stable
carbonates.[10]
For carbon to be sequestered artificially (i.e. not using the natural processes of the carbon cycle) it must first be captured, or it must be significantly delayed or prevented from being re-released into the atmosphere (by combustion, decay, etc.) from an existing carbon-rich material, by being incorporated into an enduring usage (such as in construction). Thereafter it can be passively stored or remain productively utilized over time in a variety of ways. For instance, upon harvesting, wood (as a carbon-rich material) can be incorporated into construction or a range of other durable products, thus sequestering its carbon over years or even centuries.[11]
Biological carbon sequestration on land
Biological carbon sequestration (also called biosequestration) is the capture and storage of the atmospheric greenhouse gas carbon dioxide by continual or enhanced biological processes. This form of carbon sequestration occurs through increased rates of
photosynthesis via
land-use practices such as
reforestation and
sustainableforest management.[12][13]Land-use changes that enhance natural carbon capture have the potential to capture and store large amounts of carbon dioxide each year. These include the conservation, management, and restoration of ecosystems such as forests, peatlands, wetlands, and grasslands, in addition to carbon sequestration methods in agriculture.[14]
Trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere through the process of
photosynthesis. Throughout this biochemical process, chlorophyll in the tree's leaves harnesses sunlight to convert CO2 and water into glucose and oxygen.[16] While glucose serves as a source of energy for the tree, oxygen is released into the atmosphere as a byproduct. Trees store carbon in the form of biomass, encompassing roots, stems, branches, and leaves. Throughout their lifespan, trees continue to sequester carbon, acting as long-term storage units for atmospheric CO2.[17] Sustainable forest management, afforestration, reforestation and proforestation are therefore important contributions to climate change mitigation.
Afforestation is the establishment of a forest in an area where there was no previous tree cover.
Proforestation is the practice of growing an existing
forest intact toward its full ecological potential.[18] An important consideration in such efforts is that the carbon sink potential of forests will saturate[19] and forests can turn from sinks to carbon sources.[20][21] The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that a combination of measures aimed at increasing forest carbon stocks, and sustainable timber offtake will generate the largest carbon sequestration benefit.[22]
In terms of carbon retention on forest land, it is better to avoid
deforestation than to remove trees and subsequently reforest, as deforestation leads to irreversible effects e.g.
biodiversity loss and
soil degradation.[23] Additionally, the effects of af- or reforestation will be farther in the future compared to keeping existing forests intact.[24] It takes much longer − several decades − for reforested areas to return to the same carbon sequestration levels found in mature tropical forests.[25]
There are four primary ways in which reforestation and reducing deforestation can increase carbon sequestration. First, by increasing the volume of existing forest. Second, by increasing the carbon density of existing forests at a stand and landscape scale.[26] Third, by expanding the use of forest products that will sustainably replace fossil-fuel emissions. Fourth, by reducing carbon emissions that are caused from deforestation and degradation.[27]
The planting of trees on marginal crop and
pasture lands helps to incorporate carbon from atmospheric CO 2 into
biomass.[28][29] For this carbon sequestration process to succeed the carbon must not return to the atmosphere from biomass burning or rotting when the trees die.[30] To this end, land allotted to the trees must not be converted to other uses and management of the frequency of disturbances might be necessary in order to avoid extreme events. Alternatively, the wood from them must itself be sequestered, e.g., via
biochar, bio-energy with carbon storage (
BECS), landfill or stored by use in construction.
Reforestation with long-lived trees (>100 years) will sequester carbon for substantial periods and be released gradually, minimizing carbon's climate impact during the 21st century. Earth offers enough room to plant an additional 1.2 trillion trees.[31] Planting and protecting them would offset some 10 years of CO2 emissions and sequester 205 billion tons of carbon.[32] This approach is supported by the
Trillion Tree Campaign. Restoring all degraded forests world-wide would capture about 205 billion tons of carbon in total, which is about two-thirds of all carbon emissions.[33][34]
Although a bamboo forest stores less total carbon than a mature forest of trees, a
bamboo plantation sequesters carbon at a much faster rate than a mature forest or a tree plantation. Therefore, the farming of bamboo timber may have significant carbon sequestration potential.[35]
During a 30-year period to 2050 if all new construction globally utilized 90% wood products, largely via adoption of
mass timber in
low rise construction, this could sequester 700 million net tons of carbon per year,[36][37] thus negating approximately 2% of annual carbon emissions as of 2019.[38] This is in addition to the elimination of carbon emissions from the displaced construction material such as steel or concrete, which are carbon-intense to produce.
As enforcement of forest protection may not sufficiently address the drivers behind deforestation – the largest of which being the production of beef in
the case of the Amazon rainforest[39] – it may also need policies. These could effectively ban and/or progressively discourage deforestation-associated trade via e.g. product information requirements, satellite monitoring like the
Global Forest Watch, related
eco-tariffs, and product certifications.[40][41][42]
Wetland restoration involves restoring a wetland's natural biological, geological, and chemical functions through re-establishment or rehabilitation.[44] It has also been proposed as a potential climate change mitigation strategy.[45] Wetland soil, particularly in coastal wetlands such as mangroves, sea grasses, and salt marshes,[45] is an important carbon reservoir; 20–30% of the world's
soil carbon is found in wetlands, while only 5–8% of the world's land is composed of wetlands.[46] Studies have shown that restored wetlands can become productive
CO2 sinks[47][48][49] and many restoration projects have been enacted in the US and around the world.[50][51] Aside from climate benefits, wetland restoration and conservation can help preserve biodiversity, improve water quality, and aid with flood control.[52]
The plants that make up wetlands absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and convert it into organic matter. The waterlogged nature of the soil slows down the decomposition of organic material, leading to the accumulation of carbon-rich peat, acting as a long-term
carbon sink.[53] Additionally, anaerobic conditions in waterlogged soils hinder the complete breakdown of organic matter, promoting the conversion of carbon into more stable forms.[54]
As with forests, for the sequestration process to succeed, the wetland must remain undisturbed. If it is disturbed somehow, the carbon stored in the plants and sediments will be released back into the atmosphere and the ecosystem will no longer function as a carbon sink.[55] Additionally, some wetlands can release non-CO2 greenhouse gases, such as
methane[56] and
nitrous oxide[57] which could offset potential climate benefits. The amounts of carbon sequestered via
blue carbon by wetlands can also be difficult to measure.[52]
Wetlands are created when water overflows into heavily vegetated soil causing plants to adapt to a flooded ecosystem.[58] Wetlands can occur in three different regions.[59] Marine wetlands are found in shallow coastal areas, tidal wetlands are also coastal but are found farther inland, and non-tidal wetlands are found inland and have no effects from tides. Wetland soil is an important
carbon sink; 14.5% of the world's
soil carbon is found in wetlands, while only 5.5% of the world's land is composed of wetlands.[60] Not only are wetlands a great carbon sink, they have many other benefits like collecting floodwater, filtering air and water pollutants, and creating a home for numerous birds, fish, insects, and plants.[59]
Climate change could alter soil carbon storage changing it from a sink to a source.[61] With rising temperatures comes an increase in
greenhouse gasses from wetlands especially locations with
permafrost. When this permafrost melts it increases the available oxygen and water in the soil.[61] Because of this, bacteria in the soil would create large amounts of carbon dioxide and methane to be released into the atmosphere.[61]
The link between climate change and wetlands is still not fully known.[61] It is also not clear how restored wetlands manage carbon while still being a contributing source of methane. However, preserving these areas would help prevent further release of carbon into the atmosphere.[62]
Peatlands, mires and peat bogs
Peatlands hold approximately 30% of the carbon in our ecosystem.[62] When they are drained for
agricultural land and urbanization, because peatlands are so vast, large quantities of carbon decompose and emit
CO2 into the atmosphere.[62] The loss of one peatland could potentially produce more carbon than 175–500 years of
methane emissions.[61]
Peat bogs act as a sink for carbon because they accumulate partially decayed biomass that would otherwise continue to decay completely. There is a variance on how much the peatlands act as a carbon sink or carbon source that can be linked to varying climates in different areas of the world and different times of the year.[63] By creating new bogs, or enhancing existing ones, the amount of carbon that is sequestered by bogs would increase.[64]
Compared to natural vegetation, cropland soils are depleted in soil organic carbon (SOC). When soil is converted from natural land or semi-natural land, such as forests, woodlands, grasslands, steppes, and savannas, the SOC content in the soil reduces by about 30–40%.[65] This loss is due to the removal of plant material containing carbon, in terms of harvests. When
land use changes, the carbon in the soil will either increase or decrease, and this change will continue until the soil reaches a new equilibrium. Deviations from this equilibrium can also be affected by variated climate.[66]
The decreasing of SOC content can be counteracted by increasing the carbon input. This can be done with several strategies, e.g. leave harvest residues on the field, use manure as fertilizer, or including perennial crops in the rotation.
Perennial crops have a larger below ground biomass fraction, which increases the SOC content.[65]
Perennial crops reduce the need for
tillage and thus help mitigate soil erosion, and may help increase soil organic matter. Globally, soils are estimated to contain >8,580 gigatons of organic carbon, about ten times the amount in the atmosphere and much more than in vegetation.[67]
Researchers have found that rising temperatures can lead to population booms in soil microbes, converting stored carbon into carbon dioxide. In laboratory experiments heating soil, fungi-rich soils released less carbon dioxide than other soils.[68]
Following carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption from the atmosphere, plants deposit organic matter into the soil.[69] This organic matter, derived from decaying plant material and root systems, is rich in carbon compounds.
Microorganisms in the soil break down this organic matter, and in the process, some of the carbon becomes further stabilized in the soil as
humus - a process known as
humification.[70]
On a global basis, it is estimated that soil contains about 2,500 gigatons of carbon. This is greater than 3-fold the carbon found in the atmosphere and 4-fold of that found in living plants and animals.[71] About 70% of the global soil organic carbon in non-permafrost areas is found in the deeper soil within the upper 1 meter and stabilized by mineral-organic associations.[72]
Carbon farming is a set of agricultural methods that aim to store carbon in the
soil, crop roots, wood and leaves. The technical term for this is carbon sequestration. The overall goal of carbon farming is to create a net loss of carbon from the atmosphere.[73] This is done by increasing the rate at which carbon is sequestered into soil and plant material. One option is to increase the
soil's organic matter content. This can also aid plant growth, improve
soil water retention capacity[74] and reduce
fertilizer use.[75]Sustainable forest management is another tool that is used in carbon farming.[76] Carbon farming is one component of
climate-smart agriculture. It is also one of the methods for
carbon dioxide removal (CDR).
Carbon farming methods might have additional costs. Some countries have government policies that give financial incentives to farmers to use carbon farming methods.[77]
As of 2016, variants of carbon farming reached hundreds of millions of hectares globally, of the nearly 5 billion hectares (1.2×1010 acres) of world farmland.[78]
Carbon farming is not without its challenges or disadvantages. This is because some of its methods can affect
ecosystem services. For example, carbon farming could cause an increase of land clearing,
monocultures and
biodiversity loss.[79] It is important to maximize environmental benefits of carbon farming by keeping in mind ecosystem services at the same time.[79]
Prairies
Prairie restoration is a
conservation effort to restore
prairie lands that were destroyed due to industrial,
agricultural, commercial, or residential development.[80] The primary aim is to return areas and ecosystems to their previous state before their depletion.[81] The mass of SOC able to be stored in these restored plots is typically greater than the previous crop, acting as a more effective carbon sink.[82][83]
Biochar is
charcoal created by
pyrolysis of
biomass waste. The resulting material is added to a
landfill or used as a soil improver to create
terra preta.[84][85] Addition of pyrogenic organic carbon (biochar) is a novel strategy to increase the soil-C stock for the long term and to mitigate global warming by offsetting the atmospheric C (up to 9.5 Gigatons C annually).[86] In the soil, the biochar carbon is unavailable for
oxidation to CO 2 and consequential atmospheric release. However concerns have been raised about biochar potentially accelerating release of the carbon already present in the soil.[87]
Terra preta, an
anthropogenic, high-carbon soil, is also being investigated as a sequestration mechanism. By
pyrolysing biomass, about half of its carbon can be reduced to
charcoal, which can persist in the soil for centuries, and makes a useful soil amendment, especially in tropical soils (biochar or agrichar).[88][89]
Burial of biomass
Burying biomass (such as trees) directly mimics the natural processes that created
fossil fuels.[90] The global potential for carbon sequestration using wood burial is estimated to be 10 ± 5 GtC/yr and largest rates in tropical forests (4.2 GtC/yr), followed by temperate (3.7 GtC/yr) and boreal forests (2.1 GtC/yr).[11] In 2008,
Ning Zeng of the University of Maryland estimated 65 GtC lying on the floor of the world's forests as coarse woody material which could be buried and costs for wood burial carbon sequestration run at 50 USD/tC which is much lower than carbon capture from e.g. power plant emissions.[11] CO2 fixation into woody biomass is a natural process carried out through
photosynthesis. This is a nature-based solution and suggested methods include the use of "wood vaults" to store the wood-containing carbon under oxygen-free conditions.[91]
In 2022 a certification organization published methodologies for biomass burial.[92] Other biomass storage proposals have included the burial of biomass deep underwater, including at the bottom of the
Black Sea.[93]
Geological carbon sequestration
Underground storage in suitable geologic formations
Geological sequestration refers to the storage of CO2 underground in depleted oil and gas reservoirs, saline formations, or deep, coal beds unsuitable for mining.[citation needed]
Once CO2 is captured from a point source, such as a cement factory,[94] it can be compressed to ≈100 bar into a
supercritical fluid. In
this form, the CO2 could be transported via pipeline to the place of storage. The CO2 could then be injected deep underground, typically around 1 km, where it would be stable for hundreds to millions of years.[95] Under these storage conditions, the density of supercritical CO2 is 600 to 800 kg/m3.[96]
The important parameters in determining a good site for carbon storage are: rock porosity, rock permeability, absence of faults, and geometry of rock layers. The medium in which the CO2 is to be stored ideally has a high porosity and permeability, such as sandstone or limestone. Sandstone can have a permeability ranging from 1 to 10−5Darcy, with a porosity as high as ≈30%. The porous rock must be capped by a layer of low permeability which acts as a seal, or caprock, for the CO2. Shale is an example of a very good caprock, with a permeability of 10−5 to 10−9 Darcy. Once injected, the CO2 plume will rise via buoyant forces, since it is less dense than its surroundings. Once it encounters a caprock, it will spread laterally until it encounters a gap. If there are fault planes near the injection zone, there is a possibility the CO2 could migrate along the fault to the surface, leaking into the atmosphere, which would be potentially dangerous to life in the surrounding area. Another risk related to carbon sequestration is induced seismicity. If the injection of CO2 creates pressures underground that are too high, the formation will fracture, potentially causing an earthquake.[97]
Structural trapping is considered the principal storage mechanism, impermeable or low permeability rocks such as mudstone, anhydrite, halite, or tight carbonates act as a barrier to the upward buoyant migration of CO2, resulting in the retention of CO2 within a storage formation.[98] While trapped in a rock formation, CO2 can be in the supercritical fluid phase or dissolve in groundwater/brine. It can also react with minerals in the geologic formation to become carbonates.
Mineral sequestration
Mineral sequestration aims to trap carbon in the form of solid
carbonate salts. This process occurs slowly in nature and is responsible for the deposition and accumulation of
limestone over geologic time.
Carbonic acid in groundwater slowly reacts with complex
silicates to dissolve
calcium,
magnesium,
alkalis and
silica and leave a residue of
clay minerals. The dissolved calcium and magnesium react with
bicarbonate to precipitate calcium and magnesium carbonates, a process that organisms use to make shells. When the organisms die, their shells are deposited as sediment and eventually turn into limestone. Limestones have accumulated over billions of years of geologic time and contain much of Earth's carbon. Ongoing research aims to speed up similar reactions involving alkali carbonates.[99]
Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) are
metal-organic frameworks similar to
zeolites. Because of their porosity, chemical stability and thermal resistance, ZIFs are being examined for their capacity to capture carbon dioxide.[100]
Mineral carbonation
This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(June 2019)
CO2exothermically reacts with metal oxides, producing stable carbonates (e.g.
calcite,
magnesite). This process (CO2-to-stone) occurs naturally over periods of years and is responsible for much surface
limestone.
Olivine is one such metal oxide.[101][self-published source?] Rocks rich in metal oxides that react with CO2, such as
MgO and
CaO as contained in
basalts, have been proven as a viable means to achieve carbon-dioxide mineral storage.[102][103] The reaction rate can in principle be accelerated with a
catalyst[104] or by increasing temperatures [dubious –
discuss] and/or pressures, or by mineral pre-treatment, although this method can require additional energy. The
IPCC estimates that a power plant equipped with CCS using mineral storage would need 60–180% more energy than one without.[105] Theoretically, up to 22% of crustal mineral mass is able to form
carbonates.[citation needed] Formation of Carbonates is considered to be the safest capturing mechanism of CO2.[106]
Ultramaficmine tailings are a readily available source of fine-grained metal oxides that could serve this purpose.[107] Accelerating passive CO2 sequestration via mineral carbonation may be achieved through microbial processes that enhance mineral dissolution and carbonate precipitation.[108][109][110]
Carbon, in the form of CO 2 can be removed from the atmosphere by chemical processes, and stored in stable
carbonate mineral forms. This process (CO 2-to-stone) is known as "carbon sequestration by mineral
carbonation" or mineral sequestration. The process involves reacting carbon dioxide with abundantly available metal oxides – either
magnesium oxide (MgO) or
calcium oxide (CaO) – to form stable carbonates. These reactions are
exothermic and occur naturally (e.g., the
weathering of rock over
geologic time periods).[111][112]
CaO + CO 2 → CaCO 3
MgO + CO 2 → MgCO 3
Calcium and magnesium are found in nature typically as calcium and magnesium
silicates (such as
forsterite and
serpentinite) and not as binary oxides. For forsterite and serpentine the reactions are:
Mg 2SiO 4 + 2 CO 2 → 2 MgCO 3 + SiO 2
Mg 3Si 2O 5(OH) 4+ 3 CO 2 → 3 MgCO 3 + 2 SiO 2 + 2 H 2O
These reactions are slightly more favorable at low temperatures.[111] This process occurs naturally over geologic time frames and is responsible for much of the Earth's surface
limestone. The reaction rate can be made faster however, by reacting at higher temperatures and/or pressures, although this method requires some additional energy. Alternatively, the mineral could be milled to increase its surface area, and exposed to water and constant abrasion to remove the inert Silica as could be achieved naturally by dumping Olivine in the high energy surf of beaches.[113] Experiments suggest the weathering process is reasonably quick (one year) given porous basaltic rocks.[114][115]
The reaction yield, that is, the amount of CO2 mineralized per unit mass of the target material, is rarely achieved as per stoichiometry and as such, higher temperature, pressure and even chemical reagents will have to be used to achieve a better yield in a short time. As mineralized products occupy more volume than the originally excavated rocks, the environmental impacts associated with landfilling more material than was excavated in the first place must be considered.[116]
CO 2 naturally reacts with
peridotite rock in surface exposures of
ophiolites, notably in
Oman. It has been suggested that this process can be enhanced to carry out natural
mineralization of CO 2.[117][118]
When CO 2 is dissolved in water and injected into hot basaltic rocks underground it has been shown that the CO 2 reacts with the basalt to form solid carbonate minerals.[119] A test plant in Iceland started up in October 2017, extracting up to 50 tons of CO2 a year from the atmosphere and storing it underground in basaltic rock.[120]
Researchers from
British Columbia, developed a low cost process for the production of
magnesite, also known as
magnesium carbonate, which can sequester CO2 from the air, or at the point of air pollution, e.g. at a power plant. The crystals are naturally occurring, but accumulation is usually very slow.[121]
Concrete is a promising destination of captured carbon dioxide. Several advantages that concrete offers include, but not limited to: a source of plenty of calcium due to its substantial production all over the world; a thermodynamically stable condition for carbon dioxide to be stored as calcium carbonates; and its long-term capability of storing carbon dioxide as a material widely used in
infrastructure.[122][123] Demolished concrete waste or recycled concrete could be also used aside from newly produced concrete.[124] Studies at
HeidelbergCement show that carbon sequestration can turn demolished and recycled concrete into a
supplementary cementitious material, which can act as a secondary binder in tandem with Portland cement, in new concrete production.[125][126]
The ocean naturally sequesters carbon through different processes.[citation needed] The
solubility pump moves carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the surface ocean where it reacts with water molecules to form carbonic acid. The solubility of carbon dioxide increases with decreasing water temperatures.
Thermohaline circulation moves dissolved carbon dioxide to cooler waters where it is more soluble, increasing carbon concentrations in the ocean interior. The
biological pump moves dissolved carbon dioxide from the surface ocean to the ocean's interior through the conversion of inorganic carbon to organic carbon by photosynthesis. Organic matter that survives respiration and remineralization can be transported through sinking particles and organism migration to the deep ocean.[citation needed]
The low temperatures, high pressure, and reduced oxygen levels in the deep sea slow down
decomposition processes, preventing the rapid release of carbon back into the atmosphere and acting as a long-term storage reservoir.[127]
Blue carbon is a concept within
climate change mitigation that refers to "biologically driven carbon fluxes and storage in marine systems that are amenable to management."[128]: 2220 Most commonly, it refers to the role that
tidal marshes,
mangroves and
seagrasses can play in carbon sequestration.[128]: 2220 These ecosystems can play an important role for climate change mitigation and
ecosystem-based adaptation. However, when blue carbon ecosystems are degraded or lost they release carbon back to the atmosphere, thereby adding to
greenhouse gas emissions.[128]: 2220
Seaweed grow in shallow and coastal areas, and capture significant amounts of carbon that can be transported to the deep ocean by oceanic mechanisms; seaweed reaching the deep ocean sequester carbon and prevent it from exchanging with the atmosphere over millennia.[129] Growing seaweed offshore with the purpose of sinking the seaweed in the depths of the sea to sequester carbon has been suggested.[130] In addition, seaweed grows very fast and can theoretically be harvested and processed to generate
biomethane, via
anaerobic digestion to generate electricity, via
cogeneration/CHP or as a replacement for
natural gas. One study suggested that if seaweed farms covered 9% of the ocean they could produce enough biomethane to supply Earth's equivalent demand for fossil fuel energy, remove 53
gigatonnes of
CO2 per year from the atmosphere and sustainably produce 200 kg per year of fish, per person, for 10 billion people.[131] Ideal species for such farming and conversion include Laminaria digitata, Fucus serratus and Saccharina latissima.[132]
Both
macroalgae and
microalgae are being investigated as possible means of carbon sequestration.[133][134] Marine
phytoplankton perform half of the global photosynthetic CO2 fixation (net global primary production of ~50 Pg C per year) and half of the oxygen production despite amounting to only ~1% of global plant biomass.[135]
Because
algae lack the complex
lignin associated with
terrestrial plants, the carbon in algae is released into the atmosphere more rapidly than carbon captured on land.[133][136] Algae have been proposed as a short-term storage pool of carbon that can be used as a
feedstock for the production of various
biogenic fuels.[137]
Large-scale seaweed farming (called "ocean afforestation") could sequester huge amounts of carbon.[138] Wild seaweed will sequester large amount of carbon through dissolved particles of organic matter being transported to deep ocean seafloors where it will become buried and remain for long periods of time.[139] Currently seaweed farming is carried out to provide food, medicine and biofuel.[139] In respect to carbon farming, the potential growth of seaweed for carbon farming would see the harvested seaweed transported to the deep ocean for long-term burial.[139] Seaweed farming has gathered attention given the limited terrestrial space available for carbon farming practices.[139] Currently seaweed farming occurs mostly in the Asian Pacific coastal areas where it has been a rapidly increasing market.[139] The IPCC
Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate recommends "further research attention" on seaweed farming as a mitigation tactic.[140]
However, seaweed farming, and carbon farming in general, only keeps the carbon within the fast carbon cycle, in intimate contact with the ocean and atmosphere, and once in equilibrium with the ecology, cannot be expected to hold additional carbon.
Ocean fertilization or ocean nourishment is a type of technology for
carbon dioxide removal from the ocean based on the purposeful introduction of plant
nutrients to the upper
ocean to increase marine food production and to remove
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.[141][142] Ocean nutrient fertilization, for example
iron fertilization, could stimulate photosynthesis in
phytoplankton. The phytoplankton would convert the ocean's dissolved carbon dioxide into
carbohydrate, some of which would sink into the deeper ocean before oxidizing. More than a dozen open-sea experiments confirmed that adding iron to the ocean increases
photosynthesis in phytoplankton by up to 30 times.[143]
This is one of the more well-researched carbon dioxide removal (CDR) approaches, however this approach would only sequester carbon on a timescale of 10-100 years dependent on ocean mixing times. While surface ocean acidity may decrease as a result of nutrient fertilization, when the sinking organic matter remineralizes, deep ocean acidity will increase. A 2021 report on CDR indicates that there is medium-high confidence that the technique could be efficient and scalable at low cost, with medium environmental risks.[144] One of the key risks of nutrient fertilization is nutrient robbing, a process by which excess nutrients used in one location for enhanced primary productivity, as in a fertilization context, are then unavailable for normal productivity downstream. This could result in ecosystem impacts far outside the original site of fertilization.[144]
A number of techniques, including fertilization by the micronutrient
iron (called
iron fertilization) or with
nitrogen and
phosphorus (both macronutrients), have been proposed. But research in the early 2020s suggested that it could only permanently sequester a small amount of carbon.[145]
Artificial upwelling
Artificial upwelling or downwelling is an approach that would change the mixing layers of the ocean. Encouraging various ocean layers to mix can move nutrients and dissolved gases around, offering avenues for
geoengineering.[146] Mixing may be achieved by placing large vertical pipes in the oceans to pump nutrient rich water to the surface, triggering
blooms of algae, which store carbon when they grow and export carbon when they die.[146][147][148] This produces results somewhat similar to iron fertilization. One side-effect is a short-term rise in CO 2, which limits its attractiveness.[149]
Mixing layers involve transporting the denser and colder
deep ocean water to the surface
mixed layer. As the
ocean temperature decreases with depth, more
carbon dioxide and other compounds are able to dissolve in the deeper layers.[150] This can be induced by reversing the
oceanic carbon cycle through the use of large vertical pipes serving as ocean pumps,[151] or a mixer array.[152] When the nutrient rich deep ocean water is moved to the surface,
algae bloom occurs, resulting in a decrease in carbon dioxide due to carbon intake from
phytoplankton and other
photosyntheticeukaryoticorganisms. The transfer of heat between the layers will also cause seawater from the mixed layer to sink and absorb more carbon dioxide. This method has not gained much traction as algae bloom harms
marine ecosystems by blocking sunlight and releasing harmful toxins into the ocean.[153] The sudden increase in carbon dioxide on the surface level will also temporarily decrease the
pH of the seawater, impairing the growth of
coral reefs. The production of
carbonic acid through the dissolution of carbon dioxide in seawater hinders
marine biogenic calcification and causes major disruptions to the oceanic
food chain.[154]
Basalt storage
Carbon dioxide sequestration in
basalt involves the injecting of CO 2 into deep-sea formations. The CO 2 first mixes with seawater and then reacts with the basalt, both of which are alkaline-rich elements. This reaction results in the release of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions forming stable carbonate minerals.[155]
Underwater basalt offers a good alternative to other forms of oceanic carbon storage because it has a number of trapping measures to ensure added protection against leakage. These measures include "geochemical, sediment, gravitational and
hydrate formation." Because CO 2 hydrate is denser than CO 2 in seawater, the risk of leakage is minimal. Injecting the CO 2 at depths greater than 2,700 meters (8,900 ft) ensures that the CO 2 has a greater density than seawater, causing it to sink.[156]
This process is undergoing tests as part of the
CarbFix project, resulting in 95% of the injected 250 tonnes of CO2 to solidify into
calcite in two years, using 25 tonnes of water per tonne of CO2.[115][157]
Similar to
mineralization processes that take place within rocks, mineralization can also occur under the sea. The rate of dissolution of carbon dioxide from atmosphere to oceanic regions is determined by the circulation period of the ocean and buffering ability of
subducting surface water.[158] Researchers have demonstrated that the carbon dioxide marine storage at several kilometers depth could be viable for up to 500 years, but is dependent on injection site and conditions. Several studies have shown that although it may fix carbon dioxide effectively, carbon dioxide may be released back to the atmosphere over time. However, this is unlikely for at least a few more centuries. The neutralization of
CaCO3, or balancing the concentration of CaCO3 on the seafloor, land and in the ocean, can be measured on a timescale of thousands of years. More specifically, the predicted time is 1700 years for ocean and approximately 5000 to 6000 years for land.[159][160] Further, the dissolution time for CaCO3 can be improved by injecting near or downstream of the storage site.[161]
In addition to
carbon mineralization, another proposal is deep sea
sediment injection. It injects liquid carbon dioxide at least 3000 m below the surface directly into ocean sediments to generate carbon dioxide hydrate. Two regions are defined for exploration: 1) the negative buoyancy zone (NBZ), which is the region between liquid carbon dioxide denser than surrounding water and where liquid carbon dioxide has neutral buoyancy, and 2) the hydrate formation zone (HFZ), which typically has low temperatures and high pressures. Several research models have shown that the optimal depth of injection requires consideration of intrinsic permeability and any changes in liquid carbon dioxide permeability for optimal storage. The formation of hydrates decreases liquid carbon dioxide permeability, and injection below HFZ is more energetically favored than within the HFZ. If the NBZ is a greater column of water than the HFZ, the injection should happen below the HFZ and directly to the NBZ.[162] In this case, liquid carbon dioxide will sink to the NBZ and be stored below the buoyancy and hydrate cap. Carbon dioxide leakage can occur if there is dissolution into
pore fluid or via
molecular diffusion. However, this occurs over thousands of years.[161][163][164]
Carbon dioxide forms
carbonic acid when dissolved in water, so
ocean acidification is a significant consequence of elevated carbon dioxide levels, and limits the rate at which it can be absorbed into the ocean (the
solubility pump). A variety of different
bases have been suggested that could neutralize the acid and thus increase CO 2 absorption.[165][166][167][168][169] For example, adding crushed
limestone to oceans enhances the absorption of carbon dioxide.[170] Another approach is to add
sodium hydroxide to oceans which is produced by
electrolysis of salt water or brine, while eliminating the waste
hydrochloric acid by reaction with a volcanic silicate rock such as
enstatite, effectively increasing the rate of natural weathering of these rocks to restore ocean pH.[171][172][173]
Single-step carbon sequestration and storage
Single-step carbon sequestration and storage is a saline water-based mineralization technology extracting carbon dioxide from seawater and storing it in the form of solid minerals.[174]
It was once suggested that CO2 could be stored in the oceans by direct injection into the deep ocean and storing it there for some centuries. At the time, this proposal was called "ocean storage" but more precisely it was known as "
direct deep-sea carbon dioxide injection". However, the interest in this avenue of carbon storage has much reduced since about 2001 because of concerns about the unknown impacts on
marine life[175]: 279 , high costs and concerns about its stability or permanence.[95] The "IPCC Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage" in 2005 did include this technology as an option.[175]: 279 However, the
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report in 2014 no longer mentioned the term "ocean storage" in its report on climate change mitigation methods.[176] The most recent
IPCC Sixth Assessment Report in 2022 also no longer includes any mention of "ocean storage" in its "Carbon Dioxide Removal taxonomy".[177]: 12–37
Cost
Cost of the sequestration (not including capture and transport) varies but is below US$10 per tonne in some cases where onshore storage is available.[178] For example
Carbfix cost is around US$25 per tonne of CO2.[179] A 2020 report estimated sequestration in forests (so including capture) at US$35 for small quantities to US$280 per tonne for 10% of the total required to keep to 1.5 C warming.[180] But there is risk of forest fires releasing the carbon.[181]
Starting in the mid-late 2010s, many pieces of
US climate and environment policy have sought to make use of the
climate change mitigation potential of carbon sequestration. Many of these policies involve either conservation of carbon sink ecosystems, such as forests and wetlands, or encouraging agricultural and land use practices designed to increase carbon sequestration such as
carbon farming or
agroforestry, often through financial incentivization for farmers and landowners.[citation needed]
The Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, signed by president
Joe Biden on January 27, 2021, includes several mentions of carbon sequestration via conservation and restoration of carbon sink ecosystems, such as wetlands and forests. These include emphasizing the importance of farmers, landowners, and coastal communities in carbon sequestration, directing the
Treasury Department to promote conservation of carbon sinks through market based mechanisms, and directing the
Department of the Interior to collaborate with other agencies to create a Civilian Climate Corps to increase carbon sequestration in agriculture, among other things.[182]
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