The negative emission potential of alkaline materials

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Geochemistry
• Climate Change Mitigation

Background:

• Billions of tonnes of alkaline materials are generated annually from industrial processes.
• These materials, when dissolved in water, create high pH solutions capable of reacting with carbon dioxide.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the carbon dioxide storage potential of alkaline industrial materials.
• To assess the contribution of these materials to negative emissions targets for climate change mitigation.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the aqueous dissolution process of alkaline industrial materials.
• Estimation of carbon dioxide sequestration capacity based on material production and dissolution chemistry.

Main Results:

• Alkaline materials possess a significant carbon dioxide storage potential, estimated at 2.9-8.5 billion tonnes per year by 2100.
• This potential could provide a substantial portion of the negative emissions needed to limit global warming to below 2°C.

Conclusions:

• Industrial alkaline materials represent a largely untapped resource for carbon dioxide capture and storage.
• Utilizing these materials can play a key role in achieving global climate change mitigation goals.