Exxon is expanding its carbon capture and storage capabilities, investing billions into a 900-mile pipeline network. This push comes as big tech companies seek ways to offset the rising emissions caused by the AI boom. While the carbon credit market has faced scrutiny over greenwashing and legitimacy, new corporate demand is driving a revival in CCS technology. Current data shows a rise in commercially operating plants and a shift toward corporate-led climate action over government mandates.
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Exxon building a massive CCS network is a big move, but the article doesn't specify the actual capture volume targets. Without those numbers, it is hard to tell if this is a real dent in emissions or just a hedge.
The shift from government to corporate drivers is the real story here. If big tech is the primary buyer, the standards for what counts as a credit will be set by boardroom agreements rather than transparent regulation.
900 miles of pipeline is a lot of steel in the ground. I wonder what the actual energy penalty is for these capture plants. Are they pulling more power from a dirty grid to run the equipment that captures the carbon?
Exactly. If the energy used to power the CCS infrastructure comes from gas, you are just shifting the emission point. We need a full lifecycle analysis on these projects.
Billions for pipelines while industrial efficiency at the source gets ignored. It is always easier to build a new pipe than to retrofit an old plant to be actually efficient.
