I get that we would trap carbon but could it fail and potentially cause a mass release?
In: Earth Science
One method (of many under investigation) involves growing wood, often a fast-growing one like willow. That takes in carbon dioxide from the air into its structure. But remember it has to be kept forever, not just until it decays and released it again.
So the aim is to burn it in a reduced oxygen atmosphere. Some of the wood combusts but the heat it produces when it does turns much of the load into charcoal, virtually pure carbon. That is very stable and can be buried and it will stay as locked up carbon.
Basically it’s an updated version of what charcoal burners used to do in ages past!
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