On a field ringed by rolling green hills in
Iceland, fans attached to metal structures
that look like an industrial-sized Lego project
are spinning. Their mission is to scrub the
atmosphere by sucking carbon dioxide from
the air and storing it safely underground.
Just a few years ago, this technology, known
as “direct air capture,” was seen by many as
an unrealistic fantasy. But the technology has
evolved to where people consider it a serious
tool in fighting climate change.
The Iceland plant, called Orca, is the largest
such facility in the world, capturing about
4,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.