A Swiss company that developed technology to capture carbon dioxide from the air says it has launched the world’s largest plant to do so in Iceland. The company is called Climeworks AG. It said the plant began operations on Wednesday. The plant is not far from Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik. The system captures carbon dioxide, CO2, directly from the air and then deposits the gas underground. The company partnered with Icelandic carbon storage provider Carbfix on the project. Climeworks says the plant is designed to capture up to 3,600 metric tons of CO2 per year. That is the same amount of CO2 produced by about 790 automobiles during a year, Reuters news agency reported. The International Energy Agency, IEA, estimates that this year, CO2 emissions worldwide will rise 1.5 billion metric tons to a total of 33 billion metric tons. Direct air capture is one of the few technologies that can remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. Many scientists see the process as critical to limiting harmful pollutant emissions. Such emissions are caused mainly by human activities. They can trap heat in the atmosphere and create higher temperatures. Many scientists blame this warming for increased heatwaves, wildfires, floods and rising sea levels across the world. The new plant is called Orca. Its name is based on the Icelandic word for energy, Orka. It uses eight large containers that look like those used in the shipping industry. A series of high-tech filters and blowers attached to the containers capture CO2. The captured carbon is then mixed with water and pumped deep underground, where it slowly turns into rock. Both technologies are powered by renewable energy from a nearby geothermal plant. Direct air capture is still a new and costly technology. But developers hope to bring down the price by increasing operations as more companies and individuals seek the technology.
Title: World’s Largest Carbon Capturing Plant Launches in Iceland
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/A.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Worlds Largest Carbon Capturing Plant Launches in Iceland' data-article-id='5884'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='16354'>A Swiss company that developed technology to capture carbon dioxide from the air says it has launched the world’s largest plant to do so in Iceland.</span> <span data-start-time='16354' data-end-time='21458'>The company is called Climeworks AG. </span> <span data-start-time='21458' data-end-time='27021'>It said the plant began operations on Wednesday. </span> <span data-start-time='27021' data-end-time='33542'>The plant is not far from Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik.</span> <span data-start-time='33542' data-end-time='45396'>The system captures carbon dioxide, CO2, directly from the air and then deposits the gas underground. </span> <span data-start-time='45396' data-end-time='54875'>The company partnered with Icelandic carbon storage provider Carbfix on the project.</span> <span data-start-time='54875' data-end-time='68042'>Climeworks says the plant is designed to capture up to 3,600 metric tons of CO2 per year. </span> <span data-start-time='68042' data-end-time='82188'>That is the same amount of CO2 produced by about 790 automobiles during a year, Reuters news agency reported.</span> <span data-start-time='82188' data-end-time='104042'>The International Energy Agency, IEA, estimates that this year, CO2 emissions worldwide will rise 1.5 billion metric tons to a total of 33 billion metric tons.</span> <span data-start-time='104042' data-end-time='115229'>Direct air capture is one of the few technologies that can remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. </span> <span data-start-time='115229' data-end-time='125375'>Many scientists see the process as critical to limiting harmful pollutant emissions.</span> <span data-start-time='125375' data-end-time='131229'>Such emissions are caused mainly by human activities. </span> <span data-start-time='131229' data-end-time='138104'>They can trap heat in the atmosphere and create higher temperatures. </span> <span data-start-time='138104' data-end-time='152104'>Many scientists blame this warming for increased heatwaves, wildfires, floods and rising sea levels across the world.</span> <span data-start-time='152104' data-end-time='155813'>The new plant is called Orca. </span> <span data-start-time='155813' data-end-time='162542'>Its name is based on the Icelandic word for energy, Orka. </span> <span data-start-time='162542' data-end-time='170333'>It uses eight large containers that look like those used in the shipping industry. </span> <span data-start-time='170333' data-end-time='179667'>A series of high-tech filters and blowers attached to the containers capture CO2.</span> <span data-start-time='179667' data-end-time='190396'>The captured carbon is then mixed with water and pumped deep underground, where it slowly turns into rock. </span> <span data-start-time='190396' data-end-time='199354'>Both technologies are powered by renewable energy from a nearby geothermal plant.</span> <span data-start-time='199354' data-end-time='205958'>Direct air capture is still a new and costly technology. </span> <span data-start-time='205958' data-end-time='217729'>But developers hope to bring down the price by increasing operations as more companies and individuals seek the technology.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/A.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=18087 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/what_is_carbon_dioxide.wav'>What is carbon dioxide?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='a colorless, odorless gas produced by burning carbon and organic compounds and by respiration'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/a_colorless_odorless_gas_produced_by_burning_carbon_and_organic_compounds_and_by_respiration.wav'><span>a colorless, odorless gas produced by burning carbon and organic compounds and by respiration</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/a_vehicle_composed_of_two_wheels_held_in_a_frame_one_behind_the_other_propelled_by_pedals_and_steered_with_handlebars_attached_to_the_front_wheel.wav'><span>a vehicle composed of two wheels held in a frame one behind the other, propelled by pedals and steered with handlebars attached to the front wheel</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/the_branch_of_science_and_technology_concerned_with_the_properties_of_metals_and_their_production_and_purification.wav'><span>the branch of science and technology concerned with the properties of metals and their production and purification</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/a_device_for_slowing_or_stopping_a_moving_vehicle.wav'><span>a device for slowing or stopping a moving vehicle</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=18088 data-hint-location='155813' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/why_is_the_new_plant_named_orca.wav'>Why is the new plant named Orca?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Orka is the Icelandic word for energy.'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/orka_is_the_icelandic_word_for_energy.wav'><span>Orka is the Icelandic word for energy.</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/the_company_is_known_for_its_killer_whale_research.wav'><span>The company is known for its killer whale research.</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/orca_stands_for_organic_re_capture_of_air.wav'><span>ORCA stands for Organic Re Capture of Air.</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/the_company_is_run_by_seaworld.wav'><span>The company is run by Seaworld.</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=18089 data-hint-location='199354' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/direct_air_capture_is_still_a_new_and__blank__technology_.wav'>Direct air capture is still a new and <span class='blank'>costly</span> technology. </div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='costly'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/spinning.wav'><span>spinning</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/underneath.wav'><span>underneath</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/costly.wav'><span>costly</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5328/politely.wav'><span>politely</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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