The conquest for developing artificial trees, that may perform better than natural trees, has intensified with research in full gear. The goal is to develop artificial trees that can absorb environmental CO2, a thousand times faster than real trees. While this research is in progress in Arizona, there is yet another effort underway in Spain where silk trees that capture the equivalent amount of CO2 as 90 eucalyptus trees are being tested.

Professor Klaus Lackner at Columbia University and also the co-founder of Global Research Technologies (GRT) in Tucson, Arizona has been working on carbon capture and storage since 1995. Lackner has been working on a device that captures and stores CO2 since 1995. The molecules of atmospheric CO2 passes over the leaves of the artificial tree which contains a chemical absorber and the molecules get attached to them. This absorbed CO2 will require some energy for the removal, compression and liquefaction of its molecules.

Lackner and GRT have discovered a sorbent material that requires low energy for the removal of CO2 molecule which is 80% efficient. The liquefied CO2 can be stored under the ocean which will stay there and can be re-used for a variety of purposes.

Meanwhile in Spain, the silk trees which capture CO2 equal to 90 eucalyptus trees are being put to the test which will help in reducing the carbon footprint from factories and automobiles. These trees look like lamp posts and can be customized according to the usage. There are also cell phone towers with silk plants and trees installed across Spanish cities like Valencia, Barcelona and Castellon.

There are also other efforts being put together to develop artificial trees in such a way that they would help the environment and Mother Nature!