decarbonize

verb

de·​car·​bon·​ize (ˌ)dē-ˈkär-bə-ˌnīz 

decarbonized; decarbonizing; decarbonizes

transitive verb

1

: to remove carbon from (something)

It's usually not necessary to dismantle the engine to decarbonize it anymore.

—Allen D. Berrien

2

: to reduce the levels of carbon emissions (such as carbon dioxide) caused by or involved in (something, such as a facility, process, or organization)

… we must decarbonize the energy supply by developing forms of power that emit less greenhouse gas or none at all.

—Daniel Ben-Ami

[Steve] Cohen is confident that we will be able to decarbonize our economy in time to avoid catastrophic climate impacts.

—Renee Cho

intransitive verb

: to reduce the production of carbon emissions

Certainly, people at Airbus say they need to decarbonize, and research on battery technology for electric planes has been disappointing.

—Ned Potter

decarbonizer noun

Examples of decarbonize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In addition to the European projects, Rondo has inked deals with Eastman for energy storage at a Texas recycling facility, and clothing retailer H&M is investing in Rondo to use heat batteries to decarbonize its supply chain. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024

The title was given to the city in recognition of it’s a commitment to test new ways to decarbonize the live music and film and TV production sectors. —Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2024

Founded in 2020, H2 Green Steel aims to decarbonize steelmaking by using hydrogen gas, which produces water vapor rather than carbon dioxide. —João Medeiros, WIRED, 14 Oct. 2024

On the other hand, many of their corporate customers have deeper pockets—and are feeling investor, consumer, and regulatory pressure to decarbonize. —Justin Worland, TIME, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1