Feasibility and Design of Distributed Carbon Dioxide Capture Networks in Urban Environments

Cities are hotspots for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions due to their increased rates of human activity. This results in the accumulation of CO2 within urban infrastructure, including in buildings, traffic tunnels, and the ambient atmosphere. Using the City of Boston as an example, this perspective article assesses the technical and logistic feasibility of deploying a distributed network of small-scale CO2 capture systems to targeted urban locations with elevated concentrations of CO2, as this may provide advantageous energetic and kinetic conditions that can reduce the resource consumption of the capture system. It is estimated that a theoretical energy savings between 2 and 15% per tonne of captured CO2 can be realized. Criteria for technologies that are appropriate for urban areas, including sorbent materials, system architectures, and suitable energy sources for populated areas, are proposed, primarily focused on safety, space efficiency, and whether they produce excess noise and vibration. Operational and logistic considerations regarding downstream CO2 handling and transport are discussed. Research pathways necessary for the design of effective urban CO2 capture systems are highlighted, as well as potential economic incentives and policy interventions that can encourage their adoption. At the nexus of public health, global warming mitigation, and community climate adaptation, urban CO2 removal can be important in realizing net zero goals while providing a range of additional societal and economic benefits.