Environmental trade-offs of direct air capture technologies in climate change mitigation toward 2100

Yang Qiu, Patrick Lamers (), Vassilis Daioglou, Noah McQueen, Harmen-Sytze Boer, Mathijs Harmsen, Jennifer Wilcox, André Bardow and Sangwon Suh ()
Additional contact information
Yang Qiu: National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Patrick Lamers: National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Vassilis Daioglou: Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University
Noah McQueen: University of Pennsylvania
Harmen-Sytze Boer: PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
Mathijs Harmsen: Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University
Jennifer Wilcox: University of Pennsylvania
André Bardow: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
Sangwon Suh: Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, 2400 University of California

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Direct air capture (DAC) is critical for achieving stringent climate targets, yet the environmental implications of its large-scale deployment have not been evaluated in this context. Performing a prospective life cycle assessment for two promising technologies in a series of climate change mitigation scenarios, we find that electricity sector decarbonization and DAC technology improvements are both indispensable to avoid environmental problem-shifting. Decarbonizing the electricity sector improves the sequestration efficiency, but also increases the terrestrial ecotoxicity and metal depletion levels per tonne of CO2 sequestered via DAC. These increases can be reduced by improvements in DAC material and energy use efficiencies. DAC exhibits regional environmental impact variations, highlighting the importance of smart siting related to energy system planning and integration. DAC deployment aids the achievement of long-term climate targets, its environmental and climate performance however depend on sectoral mitigation actions, and thus should not suggest a relaxation of sectoral decarbonization targets.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31146-1

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