Over the last century, the US pulp and paper industry has increasingly utilized carbon capture technology like BECCS to achieve negative emissions. Microsoft, JP Morgan Chase, and a consortium of tech companies have entered into contracts to sequester carbon dioxide from paper mills. However, experts caution that this method may overstate its climate benefits and incentivize harmful practices such as logging forests. Furthermore, the calculations of carbon removal through BECCS are complex, raising questions about its long-term efficacy.
The expansion of BECCS is driven by urgent climate goals, which necessitate substantial carbon removal in the coming years. Companies are turning to this technology to fulfill ambitious emissions targets, with Microsoft leading the charge. BECCS can be retrofitted onto existing industrial facilities, providing a practical approach to carbon capture without needing costly new infrastructure developments. Nevertheless, ethical concerns loom, particularly regarding the sourcing of biomass and its potential to cause environmental harm if mismanaged.
👉 Pročitaj original: MIT Technology Review – AI
