Big Tech's Carbon Removal Gamble: A High-Stakes Bet on the Future of the Planet

Big Tech's Big Bet on Carbon Removal Raises Concerns In a surprise move, several major tech companies have invested heavily in a carbon removal tactic that has sparked controversy among experts. Microsoft, JP Morgan Chase, and a consortium of Alphabet, Meta, Shopify, and Stripe have all signed multimillion-dollar deals to install carbon scrubbing equipment at paper mills, capturing hundreds of thousands of tons of greenhouse gas. The captured CO2 will be piped into saline aquifers over a mile underground, where it is expected to be sequestered permanently. This form of carbon removal, known as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), has gained traction among Big Tech companies seeking to offset their massive carbon footprints. However, experts have raised concerns about the effectiveness and scalability of BECCS. "While BECCS can be a valuable tool in the fight against climate change, it's not a silver bullet," said Dr. Emily Reichert, a leading expert on carbon capture technology. "We need to carefully evaluate its potential impacts and ensure that it doesn't divert resources away from more effective solutions." BECCS involves growing biomass, such as crops or trees, which is then burned to produce electricity or heat. The resulting CO2 emissions are captured and stored in underground reservoirs. Proponents argue that BECCS can be a net negative emitter of greenhouse gases, meaning it removes more CO2 from the atmosphere than it emits. The tech companies' investments in BECCS have been met with skepticism by some critics, who question the long-term viability of this approach. "We're seeing a lot of hype around carbon removal technologies without sufficient consideration for their scalability and cost-effectiveness," said Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist at Texas Tech University. Despite these concerns, BECCS has gained traction among Big Tech companies seeking to reduce their carbon footprint. Microsoft, for example, has committed to removing 100% of its emissions by 2030 through a combination of renewable energy and carbon removal technologies like BECCS. As the world's largest polluters continue to invest in carbon removal solutions, experts are urging caution. "We need to be careful not to get too caught up in the excitement around these new technologies," said Dr. Reichert. "We must ensure that they're being developed and deployed in a way that aligns with our climate goals." In related news, Kairos Power, a nuclear startup, is making waves in the clean energy sector with its next-generation nuclear reactors. The company's molten salt-cooled reactors promise reliable, 24/7 decarbonized power at a lower cost than traditional nuclear plants. Kairos has already constructed prototypes and secured permits for several reactors, marking a significant milestone in the development of advanced nuclear technology. As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of climate change, innovative solutions like Kairos' next-generation nuclear reactors are gaining attention from investors and policymakers alike. The future of carbon removal technologies and clean energy solutions is uncertain, but one thing is clear: the stakes have never been higher. As the world's largest polluters continue to invest in new technologies, experts are urging caution and calling for a more nuanced approach to addressing climate change. *Reporting by Technologyreview.*