Carl Pendragon

Skymining is the process of removing CO2 from the atmosphere and transforming it into a cheap, clean-burning copy of fossil fuels. This concept was invented by me, long before we had the name. 

Skymining combines two feats of engineering. First, CO2 is extracted using natural, hyper-efficient pumps found in specialized grasses. A large proportion of this carbon is permanently sequestered in the ground. Secondly, a process of thermal carbonisation turns the carbon-rich grass into a clean copy of coal, replicating a 30-million year process in around 30 minutes. 

Skymining is the first commercially-viable process of producing carbon-negative energy. 

Our process starts with plantations of specialized grass on marginal and land subject to desertification. Skymining can reclaim this land for food production in the long run. 

In 2015, I led negotiations for Carbon Wealth to buy a majority stake in the thermal carbonisation pilot plant in Austria for the purpose of executing test production runs for grass. The entire production process, as I had envisioned for many years, was finally proven in February 2016 when Carbon Wealth turned grass into carbonised densified fuel during these trial production runs. 

Today, we no longer own or use this Austrian technology. We have moved on to superior and cheaper technology in Asia. The Austrian developer of the pilot plant never developed more than this one production unit. 

By giving the world something else to burn, Skymining allows the world to keep using its current energy infrastructure — by far the quickest and cheapest way to slow global warming. 

In fact, our research shows that Skymining has 30 times the climate impact of wind and solar per dollar invested (see published article). 

Skymining is also important because of its numerous co-benefits, which include reversing desertification, slowing deforestation, and improving future food security.