• basalts
• CO2 mineral storage
• favourability map
• GIS
• Sicily

Human-induced climate change, including more frequent and intense extreme events, has caused widespread severe impacts on nature, ecosystems, people, settlements and infrastructure. Industries that burn fossil fuels play a significant role in contributing to this climate emergency through their emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), which contributes most to global changes.
To tackle this challenge, emission reduction targets have been set by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to achieve climate neutrality by the year 2050.
Carbfix, an Icelandic company, has developed an innovative technology within the Carbon Capture and Mineralization Storage (CCMS) industry contributing to the achievement of these targets. This technology focuses on the underground storage of CO2 captured either from industrial sources and/or directly from the atmosphere. Such CO2 is permanently locked as solid carbonate minerals, thus preventing its release into the atmosphere and promoting the mitigation of climate changes.
Our study aims to evaluate the potential for mineral sequestration of CO2 in Italy, using the successful example of Carbfix as a reference point. A preliminary study was conducted through Integrated analysis on GIS to create a favourability map that identifies suitable sites for Carbfix CCMS technology application in south-eastern Sicily. This particular area near Siracusa was chosen given the presence of a considerable multi-company industrial hub, which emits above 8 million tonnes of CO2 annually, resulting in significant air pollution. Our results highlight three favourable geological areas for CCMS technology application, one near Catania, closest to the regional energy-intensive industries, and two near Palagonia and Portopalo di Capo Passero, further from regional CO2 sources. The high theoretical CO2 storage capacity estimated for these areas indicates enormous potential for the future development of CCMS technologies in the basalts of SE Sicily.
The purpose of this project is to pave the way to a possible collaboration with the region's industries, improving their environmental Impact while developing a new market. This initiative will support Italy's transition to more sustainable energy sources as well as its economic development in balance with environmental protection.