Climeworks CO2-Capturing Module

Cutting emissions of CO2 is a necessary step towards saving our planet. But that won't help with all the greenhouses gasses already in the air. The Climeworks CO2-Capturing Module can. Currently operating at a geothermal power plant in Hellisheidi, Iceland, it captures CO2 directly from the air, then binds the molecules to water which is pumped nearly half a mile underground where it reacts with the bedrock and forms solid minerals. It's only operating on a "pilot scale" for now — capturing roughly as much CO2 a year as a single household emits — but the hope is that by scaling the technology it can capture 1% of global emissions by the year 2025.

Photos: Arni Saeberg / Climeworks