Scrubbing the Sky: Inside the Race to Cool the Planet

Direct air capture is a technology that pulls carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, but it has faced scientific and political debate. Paul McKendrick's investigation traces the technology's development over 20 years, from Biosphere 2 to Orca, the world's largest commercial direct air capture facility.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 06 June 2023
Publisher: Figure 1 Publishing

An in-depth exploration of the individuals and the science driving our efforts to extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through direct air capture.

Drawing on extensive interviews with key stakeholders from the fields of climate science, energy technology, and public policy, Paul McKendrick's investigation spans over two decades of technological development in direct air capture. From the pioneering efforts of Biosphere 2 to the ambitious promises made by figures such as Richard Branson, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk, to the recent inauguration of Orca, the world's largest commercial direct air capture facility in Iceland in 2021, McKendrick's narrative traces the evolution of this critical climate intervention option.

The question of what is required for direct air capture to achieve a significant scale and at what cost has ignited intense scientific and political discourse, leading to the formation of a comprehensive value chain that encompasses finance, industry, technology, policy, and academia. McKendrick's lucid and compelling writing presents the complete story of this captivating pursuit for the first time, inviting readers to delve deeper into this vital climate intervention option.

Dimension: 215 x 139 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781773272085