Engineers Garage

  • Electronics Projects and Tutorials
    • Electronic Projects
      • Arduino Projects
      • AVR
      • Raspberry pi
      • ESP8266
      • BeagleBone
      • 8051 Microcontroller
      • ARM
      • PIC Microcontroller
      • STM32
    • Tutorials
      • Audio Electronics
      • Battery Management
      • Brainwave
      • Electric Vehicles
      • EMI/EMC/RFI
      • Hardware Filters
      • IoT tutorials
      • Power Tutorials
      • Python
      • Sensors
      • USB
      • VHDL
    • Circuit Design
    • Project Videos
    • Components
  • Articles
    • Tech Articles
    • Insight
    • Invention Stories
    • How to
    • What Is
  • News
    • Electronic Product News
    • Business News
    • Company/Start-up News
    • DIY Reviews
    • Guest Post
  • Forums
    • EDABoard.com
    • Electro-Tech-Online
    • EG Forum Archive
  • DigiKey Store
    • Cables, Wires
    • Connectors, Interconnect
    • Discrete
    • Electromechanical
    • Embedded Computers
    • Enclosures, Hardware, Office
    • Integrated Circuits (ICs)
    • Isolators
    • LED/Optoelectronics
    • Passive
    • Power, Circuit Protection
    • Programmers
    • RF, Wireless
    • Semiconductors
    • Sensors, Transducers
    • Test Products
    • Tools
  • Learn
    • eBooks/Tech Tips
    • Design Guides
    • Learning Center
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Webinars & Digital Events
  • Resources
    • Digital Issues
    • EE Training Days
    • LEAP Awards
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • White Papers
    • Engineering Diversity & Inclusion
    • DesignFast
  • Guest Post Guidelines
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

A Special Geothermal Power Plant chat can Turn Carbon Emissions to Stone

By Shreepanjali Mod April 21, 2008

It sounds more like a Game Of Thrones plot- locking away a dire threat to the world in a rock and sending it deep within earth forever. However, in real life, the monster that is being locked away here is not a white walker but carbon dioxide and in place of Valerian steel, they are using volcanic basalt to get rid of it. And in place of Night’s Watch heroes we have a team of engineers and scientists that demonstrated pumping of carbon dioxide into basalt and its conversion into solid within a few months.

This project was carried out in a Geothermal power plant based in Iceland’s Hellisheidi. It is one of the largest geothermal plants across the globe that has a generation capacity of 303 MW electricity and 133MW hot water. Called as Reykjavik Energy, the team working here started mixing carbon dioxide with hydrogen sulfide and water and reinjected it into volcanic basalt located beneath the facility.

Carbon has a natural tendency to precipitate into a white, chalky mineral whenever it gets mixed with water and basalt. However, the process took place on a much faster pace than expected. As per previous studies and researches, the scientists predicted that a process like this will take thousands and hundreds of years. However, the team discovered that around 95 percent of carbon injected in the volcanic basalt solidified within 2 years.

During the experiment, the plant pumped around 250 tons of CO2 mixed with hydrogen sulfide and water around 400-800m beneath the surface. They took samples from nearby wells signified the amount of carbon that was rapidly mineralized in a period of few months. It motivated the team to inject around 5, 000 tons of carbon dioxide every year. Recently taken results indicate the rapid pace of mineralization which has been constant in last few years.

An effort like this could be successful in Iceland due to a number of reasons. Firstly, the plant emits around 40, 000 tons of carbon dioxide on an annual basis that is approx. five percent of total amount emitted by other plants in same period. Secondly, it is located on basalt containing calcium, magnesium, and iron that are needed for precipitation of carbon. However, the project also has some obstacles. It needs large amount of water which can’t be fetched everywhere. Another bigger issue is of the subterranean microbes that eat these carbonate minerals and emit methane. As per previous researches, these organisms were believed to exist on ocean floors but recently these were found in a Californian spring. 


Filed Under: News

 

Next Article

← Previous Article
Next Article →

Questions related to this article?
👉Ask and discuss on Electro-Tech-Online.com and EDAboard.com forums.



Tell Us What You Think!! Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

EE TECH TOOLBOX

“ee
Tech Toolbox: Internet of Things
Explore practical strategies for minimizing attack surfaces, managing memory efficiently, and securing firmware. Download now to ensure your IoT implementations remain secure, efficient, and future-ready.

EE Learning Center

EE Learning Center
“engineers
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for EE professionals.

HAVE A QUESTION?

Have a technical question about an article or other engineering questions? Check out our engineering forums EDABoard.com and Electro-Tech-Online.com where you can get those questions asked and answered by your peers!


RSS EDABOARD.com Discussions

  • Amperage changes in DC-DC conversion
  • Colpitts oscillator
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of a differential structure compared to a single-ended structure?
  • Audio Switching
  • BOM sent to Contract assemblers doesnt correspond to schem

RSS Electro-Tech-Online.com Discussions

  • LED circuit for 1/6 scale diorama
  • stud mount Schottky diodes
  • using a RTC in SF basic
  • Hi Guys
  • Can I use this charger in every country?

Featured – Designing of Audio Amplifiers part 9 series

  • Basics of Audio Amplifier – 1/9
  • Designing 250 Milli Watt Audio Power Amplifier – 2/9
  • Designing 1 Watt Audio Power Amplifier – 3/9
  • Designing a Bass Boost Amplifier – 4/9
  • Designing a 6 Watt Car Audio Amplifier – 5/9
  • Design a low power amplifier for headphones- 6/9

Recent Articles

  • Fischer connector system adds ratchet locking system designed for 300g shock resistance
  • Littelfuse introduces tactile switch with enhanced bracket peg design for mounting strength
  • Infineon releases GaN switch with monolithic bidirectional design
  • Sienna Semiconductor data converters feature sample rates from 20 to 250 Msps
  • Delta’s 5,500 W power supplies achieve 97.5% energy efficiency for AI servers

EE ENGINEERING TRAINING DAYS

engineering

Submit a Guest Post

submit a guest post
Engineers Garage
  • Analog IC TIps
  • Connector Tips
  • Battery Power Tips
  • DesignFast
  • EDABoard Forums
  • EE World Online
  • Electro-Tech-Online Forums
  • EV Engineering
  • Microcontroller Tips
  • Power Electronic Tips
  • Sensor Tips
  • Test and Measurement Tips
  • 5G Technology World
  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy

Search Engineers Garage

  • Electronics Projects and Tutorials
    • Electronic Projects
      • Arduino Projects
      • AVR
      • Raspberry pi
      • ESP8266
      • BeagleBone
      • 8051 Microcontroller
      • ARM
      • PIC Microcontroller
      • STM32
    • Tutorials
      • Audio Electronics
      • Battery Management
      • Brainwave
      • Electric Vehicles
      • EMI/EMC/RFI
      • Hardware Filters
      • IoT tutorials
      • Power Tutorials
      • Python
      • Sensors
      • USB
      • VHDL
    • Circuit Design
    • Project Videos
    • Components
  • Articles
    • Tech Articles
    • Insight
    • Invention Stories
    • How to
    • What Is
  • News
    • Electronic Product News
    • Business News
    • Company/Start-up News
    • DIY Reviews
    • Guest Post
  • Forums
    • EDABoard.com
    • Electro-Tech-Online
    • EG Forum Archive
  • DigiKey Store
    • Cables, Wires
    • Connectors, Interconnect
    • Discrete
    • Electromechanical
    • Embedded Computers
    • Enclosures, Hardware, Office
    • Integrated Circuits (ICs)
    • Isolators
    • LED/Optoelectronics
    • Passive
    • Power, Circuit Protection
    • Programmers
    • RF, Wireless
    • Semiconductors
    • Sensors, Transducers
    • Test Products
    • Tools
  • Learn
    • eBooks/Tech Tips
    • Design Guides
    • Learning Center
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Webinars & Digital Events
  • Resources
    • Digital Issues
    • EE Training Days
    • LEAP Awards
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • White Papers
    • Engineering Diversity & Inclusion
    • DesignFast
  • Guest Post Guidelines
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe