This week’s publication highlights cover a wide range of topics pertaining to direct air capture, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, enhanced rock weathering, marine cdr and integration of CDR in the energy system.
Degradation of amine-functionalized adsorbents in carbon capture and direct air capture applications: Mechanism and solutions
Abstract
Amine-functionalized CO2 adsorbents are very promising materials for carbon capture and direct air carbon capture because of their high CO2 uptake capacity and low regeneration temperature (below 120 °C). However, these adsorbents can degrade in conditions such as heating and steam treatment, or exposure to flue gas, air, vacuum, or high-concentration CO2 atmospheres. Understanding the mechanisms related to this stability is crucial for the research and application of organic amine adsorbents. In this review, the degradation mechanisms of amine-functionalized adsorbents are introduced. Including CO2 induced deactivation, oxidation reactions caused by O2, amine loss and decomposition reactions due to heating, and amine deactivation effects by acidic gases. Based on these mechanisms, approaches to inhibit this degradation process are illustrated.
Zhao, S. et al. (2025) Degradation of amine-functionalized adsorbents in carbon capture and direct air capture applications: Mechanism and solutions. 354 (6) Separation and Purification Technology.
Read the full paper here: Degradation of amine-functionalized adsorbents in carbon capture and direct air capture applications: Mechanism and solutions I Separation and Purification Technology.
Achieving Negative Emissions through Combustion-based Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage in China: A plant level techno-economic analysis
Abstract
To achieve its ”30–60″ dual climate targets, China has to implement BECCS technology that will account for at least a quarter of all CO2 reductions. The techno-economic trade-offs associated with integrating CCS technology to biomass power plants within the Chinese context have not been fully explored in spite of China’s huge combustion-based bioenergy industry. This study’s findings demonstrate that CCS integration to a typical biomass CHP plant would result in a 90 % increase in the levelized cost of electricity, and sustainable use of China’s biomass resources in the system would result in a CO2 abatement four times the current reduction from installed PV and wind technology. The negative emissions from the BECCS plant amount to 323 kt/yr at a competitive negative emission cost of 42.4$/ton-CO2. BECCS implementation in China requires a minimum negative emissions credit of 41$/ton-CO2 to achieve economic parity with fossil-fueled power, which is four times China’s carbon price.
Mate, M. et al. (2025) Achieving Negative Emissions through Combustion-based Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage in China: A plant level techno-economic analysis. 334 (137641) Energy
Read the full paper here: Achieving Negative Emissions through Combustion-based Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage in China: A plant level techno-economic analysis I Energy.
Microscopic Investigation of Incipient Basalt Breakdown in Soils: Implications for Selecting Products for Enhanced Rock Weathering
Abstract
Digital optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to study advance of incipient weathering of basaltic rock particles for two enhanced rock weathering (ERW) sites in Eastern Australia and three natural basalt sites (New Zealand and Eastern Australia). At the ERW sites, weathering of amended rock particles (up to 8 mm in diameter) induced a significant increase (1–1.5 pH unit) in shallow soil pH. After 14 months of incubation at the more recent site, 6–8 mm basalt particles showed dissolution of glass and olivine while pyroxene and plagioclase remained largely fresh. No secondary minerals were identified by SEM and high-quality X-ray diffraction analysis. Compared to the fresh, quarried basalt, the measured specific surface area (SSA) increased by 33%, suggesting microporosity formation via dissolution. At the >20 years ERW site, results were complex because of inconsistent application of basalt and greenschist facies ‘metabasalt’. Metamorphic rock particles showed negligible weathering while basalt particles could only be identified in the coarse (>6 mm) fraction of the shallowest (0–5 cm) soil. Within the finer particles in the deeper (5–10 cm) zone of elevated pH, potential ‘ghost’ basalt particles were identified by distribution patterns of ilmenite, suggesting near-complete basalt breakdown of mm-sized particles on decadal timescale. In variably weathered natural samples, dissolution also dominated over precipitation of secondary phases. Weathering progress in basaltic tephra deposited 150–600 years ago strongly depended on emplacement context. Tephra in free-draining >10 cm thick lapilli beds was only weakly altered, even where covered by soil, likely due to lacking connectivity of fracture networks for water access. In all studied incipiently weathered particles, we found sequential breakdown of glass and olivine before attack of pyroxene and plagioclase. Recognisable secondary mineral formation was minimal, but SSA increased over least weathered particles. The presence of interconnected glass and fracture networks apparently aids the rate of incipient weathering, increases microporosity and promotes particle disaggregation. This may permit application of relatively coarse (>5 mm) basalt for ERW but only for potential amendments where microscopic investigation and SSA have established suitable weathering fluid access networks.
Burke, M. et al. (2025) Microscopic Investigation of Incipient Basalt Breakdown in Soils: Implications for Selecting Products for Enhanced Rock Weathering. Frontiers
Read the full paper here: Microscopic Investigation of Incipient Basalt Breakdown in Soils: Implications for Selecting Products for Enhanced Rock Weathering I Frontiers.
No Compromise in Efficiency from the Co-Application of a Marine and a Terrestrial CDR Method
Abstract
Modelled pathways consistent with the Paris Agreement goals to mitigate warming typically include the large-scale application of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR), which can include both land- and marine-based CDR methods. However, the Earth system responses and feedbacks to scaling up and/or combining different CDR methods remain understudied. Here, these are assessed by employing two Earth System Models, with a multifactorial setup of 42 emission-driven simulations covering the whole spectrum of Afforestation/Reforestation (0-927 Mha) and of Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (0-18 Pmol) over the 21st century. We show that global carbon flux responses scale linearly when different CDR methods are scaled up and/or combined, which suggests that the efficiency of CDR is insensitive to both the amount of CDR and the CDR portfolio composition. Therefore, combining CDR methods, which seems beneficial for diversifying risks and remaining below sustainability thresholds, does not compromise the efficiency of individual applications.
Moustakis, Y. et al. (2025) No Compromise in Efficiency from the Co-Application of a Marine and a Terrestrial CDR Method 16 (4709) Nature Communications.
Read the full paper here: No Compromise in Efficiency from the Co-Application of a Marine and a Terrestrial CDR Method I Nature Communications.
The Co-Benefits of Integrating Carbon Dioxide Removal in the Energy System: A Review from the Prism of Natural Climate Solutions
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities such as fossil fuel combustion and land use changes are increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations, driving climate change. These emissions are distributed across three natural reservoirs: the atmosphere, land, and oceans. Climate change mitigation necessitates rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and the removal of residual atmospheric CO2. However, among the solutions, Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) methods—especially Natural Climate Solutions (NCS)—are gaining attention. In this review, we explore how the energy system, a major contributor to climate change, can integrate these solutions. Thus, we present different CDR highlighting the role of NCS while determining their link to the energy system using biomass as renewable energy source through Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage. Hence, we schematized the pathways which depict their multiple roles like providing negative emissions A comparative evaluation of CDR methods identifies the affected components of ecosystems and energy systems. Additionally, this paper emphasizes that NCS not only eliminates carbon but also offers ecosystem benefits, such as enhanced biodiversity and agricultural productivity, while contributing to climate adaptation. The challenges, including land-use constraints and long-term sustainability, are underscored as critical to maximizing the effectiveness of CDR, which remains essential for achieving climate mitigation goals.
Chlela, S. and Selosse, S. (2025) The Co-Benefits of Integrating Carbon Dioxide Removal in the Energy System: A Review from the Prism of Natural Climate Solutions. 976 (179271) Science of the Total Environment.
Read the full paper here: The Co-Benefits of Integrating Carbon Dioxide Removal in the Energy System: A Review from the Prism of Natural Climate Solutions I Science of the Total Environment.