Words by Smiley Team
True to its name, High Hopes Labs offers a source of optimism by exploring scientific solutions to the world’s biggest challenges. The Israeli research centre’s latest discovery – a carbon capture balloon – could become one of the most vital tools for tackling climate change.
The idea is grounded in a long discussion within the lab. “We were thinking about carbon capture for a long time,” said Nadav Mansdorf, CEO of the lab.
One morning, he received a phone call from his colleague at 4:30am to say he’d found the solution. “And from there, the roller coaster began,” he said.
Initially, they couldn’t imagine that anyone would fund their research.
“We met everyone possible and asked them to tell us why we were wrong, why this was a dumb idea, but everyone — 100% of them — said, ‘You’re crazy. How can we join you?'”
So far, their creation has shown great promise. Soaring 15km into the sky, the balloons reach an altitude at which temperatures drop to around minus 80 degrees Centigrade. It’s at this temperature that carbon freezes.
Made from a special material and carrying a special carbon-collection device, the balloon collects frozen carbon to take back to earth. As it floats along, air passes into the device where the carbon is separated and stored in a freezer compartment.
The added weight of the solidified carbon eventually pulls the balloon back down to the ground, where it transforms back into gas and can be used in carbonated drinks or buried underground where it solidifies as a natural compound.
Researchers at the lab believe the balloon could catch up to 1,000 metric tons per balloon per day, for less than $50 a tonne.
This contrasts starkly with other carbon capture technology which can cost up to $600 per tonne.
The next stage of developing the balloons is expected to be a “gamechanger, and the numbers show that we can do it. We’ll be able to catch one metric ton (2,205 pounds) of carbon, per balloon, per day.”
“This is not about how to catch carbon. The unique thing about our solution is that we can do it at a huge scale, at a very low cost,” said Nadav Mansdorf, CEO of High Hopes Lab.
DONATE: To fund another, natural means of carbon capture, help plant trees by donating to the Woodland Trust.
