The Future of Direct Air Capture

Addressing climate change—particularly at reasonable cost—will require advancements in a range of energy-related technologies. The Advanced Energy Technologies Series accompanies the work RFF researchers are undertaking to understand and examine the cost trajectories and future deployment potential of these technologies. On Friday, November 13,2020, RFF hosted a discussion on the future of direct air capture in mitigating carbon emissions.

Negative emissions strategies expert Jennifer Wilcox (World Resources Institute) explored the current state of direct air capture technologies, the challenges that remain in both development and deployment, and policy drivers impacting the future of direct air capture in the United States. RFF President and CEO Richard G. Newell then moderated a Q&A session. This event was geared toward audiences with some existing background knowledge of direct air capture topics, although anyone interested in learning about the subject was very welcome to attend.

Speakers

• Jennifer Wilcox, World Resources Institute
• Richard G. Newell, Resources for the Future (moderator)

RFF’s Advanced Energy Technologies Project uses new research to incorporate a number of these advanced technologies into our E4ST power sector model, which offers a detailed representation of the grid and is widely used in policy analysis related to power sector decarbonization.

The related events series covers topics such as carbon capture and sequestration, advanced nuclear energy, enhanced geothermal systems, energy storage, and direct air capture. The series will conclude with two additional events, one focused on innovation-related policy developments in the United States, and one showcasing the results of RFF’s analysis of how various policy proposals will drive investment in and deployment of these technologies.