An Indian startup is creating smog-free zones. Whales and mini-shrimps sequester CO2 on the ocean floor.
And now, a thumbnail-sized, sustainable energy storage device developed by scientists at Cambridge University offers fresh hope for the environment.
When charging, the supercapacitor’s negatively charged electrode absorbs CO2 from the air, which is bound in an electrolyte housing the second electrode.
During discharge, the gas is released and can be captured in a controlled way. The carbon for the electrodes comes from coconut shells (or, if they’re being used to make pallets, tamarind shells would work as well).
A seawater-like liquid serves as electrolyte. At scale, the supercapacitor could require less energy than conventional deposition processes.
Alternatively, CO2 can be banished deep underground.
