Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Rising global temperatures, melting ice caps, and extreme weather events are all stark reminders of the urgent need to address the root cause of these issues: the excessive amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in our atmosphere.
As governments, corporations, and individuals work toward reducing emissions, some innovative start-ups are taking a bold approach by focusing on removing CO2 from the air altogether. This concept, known as carbon dioxide removal (CDR), is quickly gaining traction as a critical tool in the fight against climate change.
These start-ups are pioneering technologies and solutions to capture, store, and even repurpose atmospheric CO2, creating a growing industry that could play a pivotal role in achieving global climate goals. This article explores some of the leading start-ups in the CO2 removal space, the technologies they are developing, and the challenges they face in scaling their efforts.
Why Remove CO2 from the Atmosphere?
Before diving into the start-ups themselves, it’s essential to understand why CO2 removal is necessary. While reducing emissions is the top priority for mitigating climate change, scientists now agree that it’s not enough to limit warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels—a target set by the Paris Agreement. Even if the world drastically cuts emissions, a significant amount of CO2 is already locked in the atmosphere, continuing to warm the planet.
This is where CO2 removal comes in. By pulling CO2 directly from the air and either storing it permanently or converting it into useful products, we can actively reverse some of the damage caused by centuries of burning fossil fuels. This approach is often referred to as “negative emissions” technology. It is seen as a complement to emissions reductions, not a replacement.
Start-ups Leading the Charge in CO2 Removal
Climeworks: Direct Air Capture (DAC) Technology
Climeworks, a Swiss-based start-up, is one of the most prominent players in the direct air capture (DAC) industry. Founded in 2009, Climeworks has developed a technology that uses large fans to pull air through a filter that captures CO2. Once captured, the CO2 can be either stored underground or reused for various industrial applications, such as carbonating beverages or producing synthetic fuels.
Climeworks made headlines in 2021 when it launched Orca, the world’s largest DAC facility, located in Iceland. Orca has the capacity to capture up to 4,000 tons of CO2 per year, storing it permanently underground by mineralizing it with basalt rock.
While this is a small fraction of global emissions, the company sees it as a proof-of-concept for scaling up its technology. The challenge for Climeworks and other DAC companies is to bring down the cost of CO2 removal, which currently sits at around $600-800 per ton. Scaling up operations and improving efficiency are key to making this technology economically viable on a global scale.
(Source:https://de.slideshare.net/slideshow/c4-climeworks-capturing-co2-from-air/99372527#2)
Charm Industrial: Turning Biomass into Carbon Storage
Charm Industrial, based in San Francisco, has taken a different approach to CO2 removal by focusing on bio-oil production. The company captures carbon from biomass, such as agricultural waste, by converting it into a form of oil. This bio-oil is then injected deep into geological formations, where it can be stored for centuries or even millennia.
Charm’s process essentially removes CO2 from the atmosphere by utilizing the natural carbon capture ability of plants. As plants grow, they absorb CO2, which is then captured when the biomass is processed. By turning this biomass into bio-oil and storing it underground, Charm is providing a form of long-term carbon sequestration. The company’s innovative approach has already attracted the attention of corporations looking to offset their carbon emissions, including Microsoft, which has purchased carbon removal services from Charm.
(Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/05/26/1052671/charm-industrials-carbon-removal-corn/)
CarbonCure Technologies: Turning CO2 into Building Materials
While some start-ups focus on removing and storing CO2, others, like CarbonCure Technologies, are turning it into valuable products. Based in Canada, CarbonCure has developed a technology that injects captured CO2 into concrete during the production process. The CO2 reacts with the cement, strengthening the material and permanently trapping the carbon within it.
This technology not only helps reduce the carbon footprint of concrete, which is one of the most widely used and emissions-intensive materials on the planet, but it also provides a scalable method for CO2 sequestration. Concrete is used in buildings, roads, and infrastructure worldwide, meaning this technology has the potential for significant impact. CarbonCure’s solution is already being adopted by construction companies in North America, and it represents a practical way to turn CO2 from a harmful pollutant into a useful building material.
Running Tide: Ocean-based Carbon Removal
The ocean is one of the planet’s largest carbon sinks, naturally absorbing large amounts of CO2. Running Tide, a Maine-based start-up, is working to enhance this process through ocean-based carbon removal techniques. Their approach involves growing kelp, a type of seaweed that absorbs CO2 as it grows. Once the kelp matures, it is harvested and sunk to the ocean floor, where the captured carbon remains stored for hundreds to thousands of years.
Running Tide’s innovative solution leverages the natural carbon sequestration ability of marine ecosystems while also helping to restore degraded ocean environments. The company is still in the early stages of scaling its technology, but ocean-based carbon removal is seen as a promising and relatively untapped area in the broader CO2 removal landscape.
(Source:https://www.groundcontrol.com/knowledge/case-studies/rockblock-9603-carbon-removal/)
Heirloom: Mineralizing CO2 for Permanent Storage
Heirloom, another innovative start-up, focuses on accelerated carbon mineralization, a natural process where CO2 reacts with minerals in rocks and is stored as a solid. This process usually takes thousands of years, but Heirloom’s technology speeds it up, capturing CO2 from the atmosphere and permanently storing it in limestone.
The company’s process involves exposing minerals, such as calcium oxide, to the air, where they naturally absorb CO2. Once the minerals are saturated with carbon, they are processed to store the CO2 permanently. The remaining minerals can be reused, creating a closed-loop system. Heirloom’s approach is appealing because it mimics a natural process, offering a low-risk, long-term solution to CO2 storage.
(Source: https://www.heirloomcarbon.com/technology)
Challenges Facing CO2 Removal Start-ups
While the potential for CO2 removal technologies is exciting, these start-ups face several significant challenges. The most pressing issue is cost. Removing CO2 from the atmosphere is currently expensive, and for these technologies to scale globally, costs must come down drastically. This will likely require a combination of technological innovation, economies of scale, and government support in the form of subsidies or carbon pricing.
Another challenge is the energy intensity of some CO2 removal methods, particularly direct air capture. DAC technologies require large amounts of energy to capture CO2, and if this energy comes from fossil fuels, the net benefit could be reduced. The development of renewable energy infrastructure will be critical to ensuring that CO2 removal technologies have a positive impact.
Finally, public and political support will be essential for the success of these start-ups. Many CO2 removal projects require significant upfront investment, and without strong climate policies that encourage negative emissions, it may be difficult for these technologies to gain widespread adoption.
The Future of CO2 Removal
Despite the challenges, the outlook for CO2 removal start-ups is promising. As the world comes to grips with the reality that reducing emissions alone will not be enough to prevent catastrophic climate change, there is growing recognition that CO2 removal will be an essential part of the solution. Start-ups like Climeworks, Charm Industrial, CarbonCure, Running Tide, and Heirloom are at the forefront of this movement, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and offering hope that we can undo some of the damage already done to our planet.
With continued innovation, investment, and policy support, these start-ups—and the broader CO2 removal industry—could play a vital role in securing a stable climate for future generations.
