Research summary
Technologies that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere will play a critical role in limiting global warming and minimizing the impacts of climate change. Two of the most promising technologies are enhanced rock weathering and CO2 mineralization. But there are some environmental concerns about these techniques as well as uncertainties around their rates of CO2 removal, verification of carbon storage, and co-benefits, such as nutrient release.
As Canada Research Chair in Environmental Geoscience, Dr. Ian Power aims to develop new methodologies, address uncertainties and demonstrate the effectiveness of these technologies as viable climate change mitigation strategies. Among other things, he and his research team are working with the mining industry to measure the rates of CO2 removal and verify carbon storage in real-world conditions. They are also conducting enhanced rock weathering field trials in agricultural and forested lands using various rock powders to evaluate CO2 removal, investigate soil-rock interactions, and assess potential co-benefits.