On the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina, innovative tests are underway with what are known as 'liquid trees' – photobioreactors that use microalgae to draw CO2 from the atmosphere. This project, led by Argentinian scientists, offers a promising solution in the fight against climate change.
Instead of using traditional trees, this concept relies on microalgae, tiny organisms that have existed on Earth for billions of years and are dedicated to photosynthesis. By using sunlight, they convert CO2 into oxygen and biomass. The result? An efficient CO2 absorption that, according to designers, is up to 50 times more powerful than trees.
The photobioreactors, which look like ordinary advertising panels, are actually custom-made bio-installations. The installations, designed by Y-TEC with expertise from YPF, the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research and the Institute of Biodiversity and Biotechnology (INBIOTEC), are currently in test phases at several locations in Buenos Aires, including a YPF gas station and an industrial estate in a suburb.
One of the notable advantages of this system is its flexibility in placement; these bio-installations can be deployed on paved locations where traditional trees cannot grow. Furthermore, the biomass produced can be reused in various applications, such as fertilizers, biofuels and even building materials.
The project coordination team, led by Sara Medina, highlights the impressive CO2 capture capacity of the photobioreactors. Each of these installations can remove approximately half a ton of CO2 from the atmosphere annually, equivalent to the emissions of a 4.000 kilometer car journey.
Although this project is promising in the fight against climate change, there are also some critical voices. Critics worry that the installations do not provide shade in urban environments, which could be essential to combat warming during heat waves. Moreover, they warn that this initiative should not serve as a substitute for planting traditional trees.
Source: VRT.be
