CO₂: Energy Giants Get Active

And It Could (Maybe) Save Our Internal Combustion Engines

The automotive industry is undergoing a silent, yet radical revolution. Under pressure from regulations, societal expectations, and global warming, solutions to reduce carbon impact are emerging from all sides. Among the unexpected players in this transformation, oil and energy giants are taking initiatives that, whether welcomed with skepticism or optimism, deserve close observation.

This is the case with Aramco, one of the world's energy behemoths, which has just inaugurated its very first direct air capture (DAC) unit in Saudi Arabia. Capable of sucking up 12 tons of carbon dioxide per year, this prototype, developed with Siemens Energy, aims to test advanced capture materials adapted to local climatic conditions, while reducing costs to enable rapid scaling.

Towards a Carbon Capture Ecosystem

This initial building block is part of a much broader strategy. In parallel, Aramco is participating in the creation of one of the world's largest carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) hubs, located in the Jubail industrial zone. By 2027, this hub will capture up to 9 million tons of CO₂ per year, with a target of increasing to 14 million by 2035. The idea? To pool capture and storage infrastructure to reduce costs and encourage other industries to follow suit.

That's not all. Aramco is also deploying innovative projects such as mobile CO₂ capture on vehicles, capable of trapping up to 25% of a combustion engine car's emissions, as well as mangrove reforestation and the development of algae farms, veritable natural carbon sinks.

Greenwashing or Real Transition?

At WOT, we don't wear green-tinted glasses. Some announcements strongly resemble calibrated greenwashing. But let's be honest: in a world where opinion sways between dogmatic electrification and rejection of progress, any serious attempt to reduce CO₂ deserves to be studied.

We say it bluntly: if these technologies ultimately allow us to keep our internal combustion engines alive while respecting environmental challenges, we would be the happiest people in the world. The pleasure of driving, the sound of a six-cylinder engine, the smooth linear acceleration... it cannot be replaced by a simple electronic whine.

And between solutions like carbon capture and synthetic fuels (also booming), a sustainable future with engine character remains conceivable. It remains to be seen whether these solutions will live up to their promises, and whether the transition is not just an image strategy for the energy giants.

A Revolution to Follow Closely

What is certain is that we are at the beginning of a major technological upheaval. The time when only start-ups offered alternative ideas is over. Today, heavyweights like Aramco, Siemens, and major automotive groups are exploring real avenues. Some will fizzle out. Others could well change the game.

At WOT, we applaud the efforts — sincere or not — to reduce emissions without sacrificing engines. Because ultimately, it is perhaps thanks to this race for innovation that we will be able to continue to make our engines roar in a world that no longer wants smoke.