The new carbon capture method stepping up to tackle heavy industry

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day, reviewed by our editorial team. Read the full piece on World Economic Forum or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: A new generation of high-temperature carbon-capture technologies is emerging to tackle emissions from heavy industry
• Unlike conventional amine-based solvents, these inorganic systems, using materials like molten salts, calcium oxide, and mixed metal oxides, can operate in the extreme heat and contamination conditions of steel mills, cement kilns, chemical plants, and power stations

🔭 The context: Traditional carbon-capture systems struggle in high-temperature environments, requiring extensive cooling, cleaning, and energy, which increases operational costs and reduces efficiency
• Next-generation solutions are designed to align with industrial realities, reducing energy penalties and downtime while allowing recovered heat to be reintegrated into production processes
• Companies such as Mantel are pioneering molten borate and calcium-looping approaches, marking a shift toward durable, industry-ready chemistries

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Heavy industry produces nearly 70% of global industrial CO₂ emissions
• Deploying carbon-capture systems that match industrial operations could dramatically accelerate decarbonization, helping meet global climate goals while mitigating economic risks from uncurbed emissions such as wildfires, floods, and supply chain disruptions

⏭️ What’s next: High-temperature carbon-capture solutions are expected to scale in steel, cement, chemical, and power-generation sectors, including facilities powering AI and digital infrastructure
• Adoption depends on technologies being industrial-ready from the outset, not retrofitted, signaling a broader trend in designing innovation around real-world conditions

💬 One quote: “When we design systems that align chemistry with industrial reality, the economics begin to radically change. Naturally, adoption follows.” — Cameron Halliday, CEO, Mantel

📈 One stat: Heavy industry accounts for nearly 70% of global industrial CO₂ emissions, according to the International Energy Agency.

Subscribe to our free newsletters to never miss a beat in sustainability.

The world needs sustainability knowledge. At illuminem, no interest group or shareholder can influence our work. Thank you for supporting our mission to make high-quality and independent sustainability information free for all. Every contribution helps. Thank you for donating today.