Description
Drawing on interviews with stakeholders at the intersection of climate science, energy technology, and public policy, Paul McKendrick's investigation traces more than 20 years of technological development with direct air capture, from Biosphere 2; to multi-million dollar promises from Richard Branson, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk; to the opening of Orca, the world's largest commercial direct air capture facility, in Iceland in 2021.
The question of what will be necessary for direct air capture to reach a meaningful scale, and how much it will cost, has fueled intense scientific and political debate, and spurred a value chain that spans finance, industry, technology, policy, and academia.
McKendrick's clear and riveting prose presents the full story of this fascinating pursuit for the first time, inviting readers to learn more about this critical climate intervention option.
- Communications firm Spitfire Strategies will be assisting with publicity. They will contact climate journalists at the New York Times, Washington Post, Axios, and the Associated Press, to name a few outlets.
- An accompanying Scrubbing the Sky podcast will launch in tandem with the book, hosted by Paul McKendrick and Ed Whittingham, former executive director of a national think tank supporting Canada's clean energy transition. A QR code in the book links readers to the podcast (hosted at scrubbingthesky.com)
About the Author
Paul McKendrick is the author of The Bushman's Lair. Prior to writing books, he worked in the energy sector as a partner in a firm dedicated to developing and financing renewable energy projects, in addition to stints in the electric utility sector, the oil and gas sector, and investment banking. He lives in Canmore, Alberta, Canada.
Reviews
"A timely read."
-The Financial Times
"Will appeal to both sceptics and advocates of DAC ... whether one sees DAC as a saviour or a distraction to the race to save the planet, you can expect to come away significantly better informed on both arguments."
-Nature Journal
"McKendrick's meticulous reporting captures the birthing pains of direct air capture technology-pulling carbon dioxide out of the air-which, as the climate crisis worsens, could ultimately become one of the world's most important industries."
-Justin Gillis, award-winning journalist, co-author of The Big Fix: Seven Practical Steps to Save Our Planet
"How do we remove the carbon emissions we have already put into our atmosphere? In Scrubbing the Sky McKendrick tells a compelling story of the people and companies searching for the breakthrough that solves our biggest climate challenge. By connecting the dots from historical insights, McKendrick allows for failures and missteps, but leaves us with a sense of optimism that this seemingly impossible task may be within our reach."
-Peter McTeer, author of Sustainability is the New Advantage
"McKendrick's carefully researched dive into the hidden science of direct air capture reads like a fast-paced adventure story-one with enormous implications for all of us."
Alex Hutchinson, author of Endure and columnist for Outside and the Globe and Mail
Praise for The Bushman's Lair:
"The Bushman's Lair is a riveting, fast-paced, and suspenseful account of one of BC's most notorious and fascinating fugitives. Just as the Bushman carved out his own cave somewhere in the thick of woods along Shuswap Lake, author Paul McKendrick skillfully carves out the Bushman's engrossing story onto the page. The deeper McKendrick digs, the stranger the truth becomes."
-Grant Lawrence, CBC personality and author of Adventures in Solitude
"A must read. You won't be disappointed."
-Sage Birchwater, The Ormsby Review
Book Information
ISBN 9781773272085
Author Paul McKendrick
Format Hardback
Page Count 192
Imprint Figure 1 Publishing
Publisher Figure 1 Publishing
