Heirloom Unveils First U.S. Commercial Direct Air Capture Plant
Revolutionary Carbon Dioxide Removal Technology Unveiled
California-based climate technology company Heirloom has revealed the first commercial direct air capture (DAC) plant in the United States. This marks a significant milestone in the quest to scale up emerging carbon removal technologies and achieve global climate targets.
Addressing the Need for Carbon Dioxide Removal
Scientists anticipate the necessity of removing billions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually. Heirloom’s direct air capture technology aims to capture CO2, but the practicality of this technology is still uncertain due to associated costs.
Cost Reduction Efforts
The newly unveiled facility, which utilizes crushed limestone to capture 1,000 metric tons of CO2 per year, is part of Heirloom’s strategy to reduce costs. Current industry prices for carbon removal through direct air capture range from $600 to $1,000 per ton, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Scaling Up for Rapid Progress
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm emphasized the necessity of scaling up operations to achieve rapid progress in carbon capture and storage. The government’s target is to reduce the cost of carbon removal to $100 per ton within the next decade.
Operational Mechanism
The new plant, located in Tracy, California, uses tall stacks of trays containing limestone to naturally absorb CO2 from the air. Heirloom has developed a process to treat the limestone, enabling it to capture CO2 within a few days. The captured CO2 is then released from the rock using renewable energy and stored in concrete with the help of startup CarbonCure.
Government Funding and Industry Collaboration
The Department of Energy is investing billions in grants to establish direct air capture demonstration hubs, with Heirloom being one of the recipients. Occidental Petroleum and BlackRock Inc. are also making substantial investments in the development and deployment of DAC technology.
By incorporating innovative carbon removal technologies, Heirloom’s direct air capture plant represents a significant step towards mitigating climate change and achieving a sustainable future.
