US Dairy Farms Double Carbon Capture Systems Preventing One Million Tons Methane

Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is a process designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by capturing the gas from power plants and industrial sources and storing it underground. While CCS is viewed by some as a vital tool for transitioning to renewable energy, it faces criticism from conservatives for its cost and from environmentalists who argue it underdelivers and prolongs fossil fuel reliance, especially since much captured CO2 is used to enhance oil extraction rather than stored permanently. The technology also includes direct air capture methods and biogas capture systems on dairy farms, which have seen rapid growth in the U.S., with investments nearing $3 billion since 2020 and systems now powering hundreds of thousands of homes while reducing methane emissions. Despite these advances, carbon budgets worldwide highlight the urgent need for both emissions reductions and carbon removal technologies, though reliance on such solutions remains contentious, emphasizing they should complement—not replace—renewable energy expansion. The debate over CCS and carbon removal technologies reflects a broader tension in climate policy between innovative technological interventions and the imperative to reduce fossil fuel consumption aggressively.