California-based CarbonCapture, a company that makes machines that remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere, and a team of strategic partners have been selected to receive $12.5M (nearly €11.5M) in funding.
The money came from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a megaton-scale direct air capture (DAC) hub in Southwest Wyoming.
The project’s first phase involves a FEED study for a DAC facility capable of annually capturing 200,000 tonnes of CO2. The captured CO2 will either be stored in geological formations by Frontier Carbon Solutions or used as feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production by Twelve.
Other partners include the University of Wyoming, Fluor, Carbon Direct, INTERA, EPRI, Carbon-Based Consulting, Icarus, and Novus Energy Advisors.
Adrian Corless, CEO and CTO of CarbonCapture says, “We’re extremely grateful for the DOE’s support of our efforts to establish Wyoming as a global center of excellence for direct air capture.”
“This funding will accelerate both the deployment of megaton-scale DAC capacity in Wyoming and the emergence of a new carbon management industry in the region,” adds Corless.
Fund allocation to a DOE programme
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of May 2022 allocated $3.5B to a Department of Energy programme focused on establishing multiple large-scale regional DAC (direct air capture) hubs.
CarbonCapture’s Wyoming hub is one of five projects selected under Topic Area 2 to receive DOE funding for this initiative.
The beginning stage of the Wyoming DAC hub project includes conducting engineering studies for a carbon removal facility and SAF production plant, along with developing an infrastructure plan to transport captured CO2 for sequestration and utilisation.
Nicholas Flanders, CEO & co-founder of Twelve says, “Collaboration is essential for creating a just, regenerative, and climate-positive future. We look forward to working together in Wyoming to revolutionise the transformation of captured CO2 into valuable products through the integration of DAC technology.”
The Wyoming DAC hub project includes the development of a comprehensive community benefits plan, encompassing workforce development, support for Wyoming Tribes, conservation, and community infrastructure initiatives.
The project’s main goal is to align the emerging DAC industry with the cultural and values of Wyoming’s local communities.
School of Energy Resources (SER) Research Scientist and UW lead Selena Gerace says, “The community benefits plan for the DAC hub is an important opportunity for us to partner with the communities of Southwest Wyoming while building out the DAC industry.”
“SER has long engaged with Wyoming’s energy communities on novel technologies and will continue to do so alongside CarbonCapture. DAC can be an important part of economic diversification for the state. Ensuring strong community engagement and partnerships at early stages is vital for this industry to be successful.”
CarbonCapture has been selected by the DOE to be an anchor or co-anchor DAC technology provider in three additional projects: the Southwest Regional DAC Hub in Arizona, the Aera DAC Hub in California, and the Illinois Basin Regional DAC Hub in Illinois.
Brief about CarbonCapture
Founded in 2019, CarbonCapture develops and deploys direct air capture (DAC) machines using a modular open systems architecture (MOSA) for scalable and efficient carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere.
The company’s technology platform allows for plug-and-play upgrades, mass production, unlimited scalability, and rapid technology iterations. The captured CO2 can be permanently stored or used in the production of low-carbon fuels and industrial products.