Key Points

• Two related research paths dominate: electrochemical carbon removal from wastewater and direct conversion of captured CO2 into formic acid.
• The wastewater approach has been tested at multiple U.S. treatment plants and is framed as a source-level emissions reduction option.
• The conversion approach emphasizes a single device that captures CO2 from exhaust or air and turns it into a usable chemical in one step.
• Performance claims focus on energy use, removal efficiency, and operation under dilute or mixed-gas conditions rather than scale or deployment.
• Renewable electricity remains a key condition for climate benefit in the wastewater application.
• The signal is still research-heavy and fragmented across distinct carbon-management use cases rather than one unified market or policy development.