Airborne Carbon Capture for Rapid Response to Remote Greenhouse Gas Emission Hotspots: A Systems Feasibility Study

Many significant emission sources of carbon dioxide and methane such as industrial accidents, landfills, wildfires, and permafrost release occur in remote or unpredictable locations where permanent capture systems are not practical. Here, we explore a novel concept of using airships fitted with capture/conversion equipment to provide rapid response to such high-emission locations. Using detailed modeling and optimization, we perform a feasibility assessment of this concept under different scenarios, accounting for variabilities in process technologies and site-specific factors such as uncertainties in emission rates and wind speeds. We show that a single airship operating near highly concentrated emission sources can capture greenhouse gases (GHGs) at rates comparable to, or even exceeding, those of current ground-based direct air capture (DAC) facilities. In particular, the airborne systems are predicted to have a significant impact when removing methane from the atmosphere. Finally, we also discuss how advances in materials and energy sources can further enhance the efficiency of an airborne carbon capture/conversion system. This work establishes a foundation for developing rapid-response airborne systems that can operate in situations where conventional infrastructure is not available or even viable.