Decarbonization and Net Zero: New Solutions for a More Sustainable Future

Global warming is a scientific reality with increasingly evident impacts, both globally and locally. In the coming decades, we risk crossing tipping points that could trigger devastating consequences for future generations.

What are Decarbonization and the Net Zero Concept?
Decarbonization refers to technologies that eliminate carbon from production processes. This carbon is typically present in two main forms:

• As an energy source: Carbon from fossil fuels (coal/coke, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, etc.) generates the energy needed to move people, transport goods, and perform processes.
• As a reducing agent in chemical reactions: The production of metals like steel uses carbon to remove oxygen from metal ore. For example, in iron production, ore (Fe₂O₃) is heated in blast furnaces with coke, releasing iron while carbon combines with oxygen to form CO₂.

In steel production, between 2.5 to 4 tons of CO₂ are generated per ton of steel, depending on the process. With over 1.8 billion tons of steel produced annually, the environmental impact is enormous. Aluminum production is even more carbon-intensive, generating 19.2 tons of CO₂e per ton of metal.

Decarbonization involves replacing carbon as both an energy source and a reducing agent in production processes. In the steel sector, this approach is known as Carbon Direct Avoidance (CDA). Despite its potential, technological, economic, and social challenges remain significant.

Net Zero, on the other hand, refers to the ability to capture and permanently store all CO₂ generated during a production process. For example, a steel plant producing 1 million tons of steel annually and generating 4 million tons of CO₂ can achieve Net Zero status by capturing and fully storing these emissions before they reach the atmosphere.

The Urgency to Act
Both strategies aim to prevent the worsening of global warming. However, due to delays in implementing solutions, as seen at COP 29, time is critical. Decarbonization, though promising, can be more complex and time-consuming. Therefore, Net Zero solutions, often with lower costs and shorter implementation timelines, are gaining relevance and align with this sense of urgency.

An Innovative Solution: Carbon Storage through Carbonation
SmartDry Liquefaction is a startup developing an innovative Net Zero solution based on a process called carbonation. This involves using a CO₂-saturated solution in the presence of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) ions. This reaction forms stable calcium and magnesium carbonates—non-toxic materials naturally found in many soils and minerals. These carbonates provide a secure and permanent form of CO₂ storage and can be repurposed in a circular economy, for example, in agriculture as soil conditioners and mineral additives.

Decarbonization Roadmaps and the PRR
This discussion ties into decarbonization roadmaps supported by the PRR (Recovery and Resilience Plan) being developed and announced across various industries in Portugal. These roadmaps aim to support activities or projects that help mitigate climate change. They align with measures contributing to carbon neutrality, promoting energy transitions by integrating renewable energies, adopting low-carbon processes and technologies, implementing energy efficiency measures, and enhancing energy storage.

The 2050 Carbon Neutrality Roadmap (RNC 2050) sets out the vision, goals, and pathways for Portugal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, balancing emissions with removals of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the atmosphere. This requires reducing GHG emissions by 85% to 90% by 2050 and offsetting the remaining emissions through land use and forests, with interim targets of reducing emissions by 45% to 55% by 2030 and 65% to 75% by 2040.

Achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 requires enhanced carbon storage capacity, complete decarbonization of electricity generation and urban mobility, and profound changes in how we use energy and resources. It involves transitioning to a renewable-based economy, using resources efficiently, and embracing circular economy models that value territories and promote regional cohesion.

SmartDry believes that adopting innovative Net Zero solutions can be key to reducing the impacts of global warming and building a more sustainable future. By addressing these challenges, we can ensure a more livable world for future generations. The decisions we make today will determine humanity’s future on our planet.For more information on how this innovative solution can be implemented by your company, contact us via email

Fernando Berlinck Dutra Vaz, PhD
CEO/Founder
SmartDry Liquefaction