A systems-level carbon removal strategy blends multiple technologies — Direct Air Capture (DAC), point-source (post-combustion) capture, and Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) — each with different cost curves. A rising carbon price makes more expensive technologies economically viable, expanding total removal capacity.
Removal_tech = share_tech × base_capacity_tech
Viable_tech = 1 if carbon_price ≥ cost_tech else 0
Blended cost = Σ(share × cost) / Σ(share)
- DAC / Point-source / BECCS share — relative allocation of removal capacity across the three technology towers, each rendered at different heights/colors.
- Carbon price — the market price paid per tonne of CO2 removed; towers glow green when their technology's cost is below this price (economically viable) and dim red otherwise.
National climate policies (e.g. 45Q tax credits in the US, or the EU ETS) work by adjusting this effective carbon price to make more of these technology towers economically viable at scale.