The U.S. Department of Energy released a notice of intent to fund a $3.5 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to fund four air capture hub programs.
The new regional direct air capture hubs program will help capture and store pollution from the air from carbon dioxide. This will help create new jobs, prioritize community engagement and bring environmental justice, according to a May 19 DOE news release.
“The UN's latest climate report made clear that removing legacy carbon pollution from the air through direct air capture and safely storing it is an essential weapon in our fight against the climate crisis,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in the release. “President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is funding new technologies that will not only make our carbon-free future a reality but will help position the U.S. as a net-zero leader while creating good-paying jobs for a transitioning clean energy workforce."
The release reported direct air capture technologies and CO2 transport and storage infrastructure will play a role in decarbonizing the economy to fulfill Presiden Joe Biden's goal of a net-zero economy by 2050. This will be accomplished through methods like clean power, efficiency and industrial innovation.
According to the release, direct air capture constitutes separating carbon dioxide from ambient air and storing it deep underground or converting it for use.
The four large-scale regional direct air capture hubs will be backed by the Regional Direct Air Capture Hubs program, according to the release. The direct air capture hubs will work on carbon dioxide removal projects.
According to the release, by midcentury, carbon dioxide removal will need to be deployed at the gigaton scale. One gigation is equal to approximately 250 million vehicles driven each year.
