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. 2017 Aug 14;10(5):1216–1225. doi: 10.1111/1751-7915.12805

Figure 1.

Figure 1

CO 2 generated in point sources is separated by any of the existing methods (absorption/adsorption, cryogenic or membrane separation). The resulting almost pure CO 2 can be captured and stored (carbon capture and storage – CCS) in geological formations (such as oil and gas fields, and saline formations) or transformed into different products. Carbonate can be produced using carbonate anhydrases from cyanobacteria and CaCl2 (biosequestration), and the resulting CaCO 3 can be stored or used as precursors for construction materials. CO 2 can also be reduced by different systems (biological, inorganic or hybrid). The energy supplied for the system to be sustainable must come from a renewable power source (wind, sun, etc.). This energy can be provided to the system as electrons (e‐), photons (hv) or heat. Subterranean carbon plantation is considered an alternative for recycling the CO 2 captured in CCS into methane. The products of CO 2 reduction can be bioplastics (PHAs), bio/fuels like methane or methanol. It can also be transformed into a wide range of chemicals (urea, carbamates, etc.). Fuels produced by CO 2 reduction are a possible solution for the intermittence of renewable energy (power grid), as they can be stored using the existing facilities from fossil fuels.