Weathering is one of the oldest natural processes in the world. Under the right conditions, rainwater falls on rocks, reacts with the CO2 contained in the atmosphere, and binds it in the water as bicarbonate. The bicarbonate, a salt, over time flows in the groundwater into the sea. There, it either remains, is used by organisms to bind calcareous shells, or simply becomes limestone.
It is estimated that a gigaton of CO2 is removed from the atmosphere every year through this natural process. Now, scientists and startups around the world are trying to harness this process to capture more CO2, also known as enhanced weathering.
Learn more about the potential and challenges of enhanced weathering in Handelsblatt (in German, paywall).
Future Cleantech Architects and Handelsblatt, the largest and most-cited business and financial newspaper in the German language, have co-developed this series that sheds light on the most intensively debated cleantech innovations of the moment. We are pleased to be providing scientific guidance to this series. Stay tuned for new releases!