Swiss Company Making Carbon Capture: A Game-Changer in the Fight Against Climate Change

As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, a Swiss company is making significant strides in developing cutting-edge technology that captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Direct air capture (DAC) has been hailed as a potential game-changer in the fight against global warming, but scaling up this technology to make a meaningful impact on emissions remains a gargantuan challenge.

ORCA, a pioneering Swiss company, is at the forefront of DAC innovation. Located in Iceland, the world's first commercial direct air capture plant was visited by CBS news correspondent Bill Whitaker, who witnessed firsthand the incredible technology at work. ORCA's system can remove the equivalent emissions of around 800 cars or 4,000 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere.

However, scientists estimate that carbon capture needs to remove a staggering 10 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually if drastic cuts in fossil fuels are to be achieved. This highlights the enormity of the challenge facing DAC developers. Despite the significant investment pouring into this technology, some advocates worry that the carbon capture process may not be scaled up quickly enough to make an impact.

So, how does ORCA's system work? The company uses a special filter inside a giant collector – each the size of a shipping container – to trap CO2 from the air. The captured gas is then sent to be buried deep underground in porous volcanic rock, where it hardens to stone in less than two years.

While direct air capture technology still has its limitations, ORCA's pioneering work in Iceland offers a glimmer of hope for those seeking solutions to mitigate climate change. As the world continues to grapple with the complexities of reducing emissions, innovative companies like ORCA are pushing the boundaries of what is possible. With further investment and development, DAC could yet become a vital tool in the fight against global warming.

Swiss company making carbon capture