US Funds 9 Projects To Remove Carbon From Air With $24Mln In Grants - Energy Dept.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th August, 2021) Nine US research projects seeking to mitigate climate change by extracting carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere will receive awards totaling $24 million, the Department of Energy (DOE) said on Tuesday.

"Finding ways to remove and store carbon directly from the air is an absolute necessity in our fight against the climate crisis," Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a press release. "This investment in carbon capture technology research through universities and DOE laboratories will position America as a leader in this growing field, create good-paying jobs, and help make our carbon-free future a reality."

Studies indicate curbing carbon emissions alone will not be sufficient, and innovative approaches like direct air capture will be required to achieve the US goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, the release said.

Total funding is $24 million for projects lasting up to three years in duration, with $8 million in Fiscal 2021 and outyear funding contingent on congressional appropriations, the release also said.

The projects include $4.8 million for Washington State University and Oklahoma State University will use energy efficient approaches to convert captured carbon dioxide into useful products, the release added.

Another project by the University of Illinois, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Case Western Reserve University will receive 9 million to advance new approaches that use electricity or light to control the capture and/or release of carbon dioxide, according to the release.