What is CO2?

CO2 refers to carbon dioxide, a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom. It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure. In technology, CO2 is used in a variety of applications including: carbon capture and storage (CCS) to mitigate climate change by capturing CO2 from power plants and industrial sources and storing it underground; enhanced oil recovery (EOR) where CO2 is injected into oil reservoirs to increase oil production; fire extinguishers where it acts as a fire suppressant; and as a refrigerant in cooling systems. It is also integral to various industrial processes and scientific research.