UK govt backs carbon removal tech with $65mn in grants
The UK government announced on July 8 it was providing £54.4mn ($65mn) in funding for a raft of projects aimed at developing technologies to remove CO2 emissions from the atmosphere.
The funding batch will be released under the second phase of the government's Direct Air Capture and Greenhouse Gas Removal technologies competition. During the first phase, 23 projects were awarded £5.6mn in support. Fifteen of those projects have now progressed to the second phase, giving them access to the additional £54.4mn.
The programme covers support for four main types of technology to remove greenhouse gas. These are direct air carbon capture, bioenergy carbon capture and storage, biochar – a form of charcoal produced when organic matter is burned without oxygen, and the removal of CO2 from seawater.
"This £54mn government investment announced today will help establish a greenhouse gas removal industry in the UK, which could be worth billions to our economy, bringing in private investment and supporting the creation of new green jobs," UK energy and climate change minister Greg Hands said in a statement.