Welcome back to another week of the Carbon Corner! Today we are discussing new technology and funding in the space.

We hope you enjoy reading!

Global Thermostat Launches the Largest DAC Carbon Capture System in the US

Last week, Global Thermostat unveiled one of the world's largest Direct Air Capture (DAC) operational machines. The machine has been operating since the end of 2022. The unit has the capacity to capture over 1,000 tons annually, which is the threshold to qualify for the U.S. Inflation Reduction tax credit.

The machine is located north of Denver in Colorado and brought state senators together last week for the launch event. Governor Jared Polis said, "We are thrilled to have the addition of Global Thermostat's headquarters and new Direct Air Capture plant joining this growing industry in Colorado. We know that to reach our climate goals and protect the future of our planet, we must use every tool available, and Direct Air Capture is an important strategy that will help ensure we achieve this."

The company is still looking to improve by using the 2021 DOE grant funds to develop a similar system with an annual capacity of 100,000 tonnes.

Linde and Heidelberg Materials Establish a Joint Venture

Linde and Heidelberg Materials established a joint venture called Capture-to-Use or CAP2U. CAP2U plans to build a $15 million state-of-the-art carbon dioxide capture and liquefaction plant at Heidelberg's plant in Germany. Once the plant becomes operational in 2025, it will be able to purify and liquefy around 70,000 metric tonnes a year.

Linde plans to be the primary marketer for processed gas, which will be used in both food and chemical industries. "For our customers, a secure, high-quality supply of CO2 produced in a climate-friendly manner is of particularly high importance," says Mathias Kranz, vice president On-Site & Bulk Linde GmbH, outlining the requirements for a CO2 supply. "With our partner Heidelberg Materials and the plant in Lengfurt, we will not only be able to expand our supply in the future, but also provide CO2 in a sustainable and climate- friendly way with short transport routes."

Asahi Kasei Established an Investment Framework for Carbon Capture

Asahi Kasei, a Japanese chemical company, created Care for Earth, an investment framework centered around carbon neutrality. The design entails $100 million in investments contributing to worldwide energy startups. Asahi Kasei shares in the aim of achieving carbon neutrality in 2050 and believes this system can help get change started.

Since 2011, the company has invested in over 50 startups in the US, Europe, China, and Japan. Takashi Morishita, General Manager of Corporate Venture Capital at Asahi Kasei, commented: “Our CVC team is excited for the opportunity to accelerate investments in early-stage startups hard at work to make a difference for our planet. We are seeing a lot of passionate people leading these decarbonization initiatives, and it feels good to help them on their way. The ideas and technology being innovated now will be an invaluable asset in actualizing a carbon-neutral society.”

University of California Berkeley Research Announces New Carbon Solution

The University of California Berkeley researchers proposed a scalable solution that uses inexpensive technologies to capture and store carbon. The process known as agro-sequestration starts with growing biomass crops that capture carbon from the air and then bury it in dry biolandfills. Overall, the agriculture and biolandfill costs about $60 for each ton of capture and sequester carbon dioxide. There is a list of 50 high-producing plants that are acceptable for use.

Project Researcher and Professor in the Graduate School in UC Berkeley's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences Eli Yablonovitch said, "Our approach to agro-sequestration offers many benefits in terms of cost, scalability, and long-term stability. In addition, it uses existing technologies with known costs to provide a practical path toward removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and solving the climate change problem. Nonetheless, society must continue its efforts toward de-carbonization, developing and installing solar and wind technologies, and revolutionizing energy storage."

Schaper Energy Consulting is a professional engineering firm offering carbon strategy services to CCS site developers. Check out some examples of our projects here: https://schaperintl.com/carbon-strategies/

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We hope you enjoyed reading this week and hope to see you back next week for more!

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