In 2025, the average global temperature is forecast to reach between 1.29°C and 1.53°C above the average for the pre-industrial period (1850-1900), making it the twelfth year in succession that temperatures have reached at least 1.0°C above pre-industrial levels. With atmospheric CO2 on the rise, it might be a surprise that on the ground, supply chains across the UK and US are facing growing concerns over CO2 shortages.
We need to rethink the way that we consume carbon, which includes dramatically cutting our use of this precious commodity. Yet as it stands, CO2 is what makes the world go round – as well as tackling historic emissions, we need a new, fossil-free alternative that can power our planet, without dialling up the heat.
That’s where direct air capture (DAC) comes in. This climate technology is popping up across the globe, with the UK’s first commercial DAC plant powering on in 2023. As it quickly gains momentum as a carbon removal and utilisation solution, it’s no wonder people are asking – what is direct air capture and how does it work?
We’ve pulled together an easily digestible summary of what direct air capture is, where it’s being used, and why it’s so important in building a more sustainable relationship with carbon.
Direct air capture: the basics
To put it in simple terms, direct air capture is a method of removing carbon from the atmosphere. This carbon can then be stored permanently, or recycled, creating a circular source of CO2. Direct air capture technology comes in many different shapes and sizes, yet at its core, the process follows the same essential steps.
Step one: First, ambient air is drawn into the system.
Step two: Next up, the CO2 in the air is isolated and separated through either a chemical, or physical process.
Step three: Finally, this CO2 leaves the system in its purest form, ready to be reused, or locked out of the atmosphere.
Here’s a look inside our direct air capture process:
Explore more: How does direct air capture work?
What is direct air capture used for?
Once the stream of pure CO2 generated by direct air carbon capture leaves the system, it can either be locked underground for thousands of years through mineralisation, or used again to create carbon-neutral products.
CO2 utilisation
CO2 utilisation takes carbon from the atmosphere to de-fossilise carbon-based products and processes, from plastics, fuels, textiles, and even fizzy drinks, to industrial and agricultural applications. Reusing atmospheric carbon is essential in establishing a circular carbon economy, when employed alongside the reduction of emissions and the removal and storage of historic CO2.
One of the many benefits of direct air capture is that it can be located almost anywhere in the world, making it as simple as unplugging your existing source of carbon, and plugging into a flexible, reliable, and sustainable feedstock pulled directly from the ambient air.
The UK’s first DAC plant is currently being used to pioneer industrially scalable jet fuel made from air, with the lowest carbon footprint of any sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
CO2 mineralisation and storage
CO2 mineralisation, a type of carbon dioxide removal (CDR), takes CO₂ from the air and traps it in rock, locking it out of the atmosphere for hundreds, thousands, or even millions of years. This method of removal promises high permanency, allowing us to rewind the release of historic emissions. Carbon is mineralised through a chemical reaction, where CO2 interacts with minerals such as calcium or magnesium to form stable, solid carbonates, turning gas into rock.
Our electrochemical direct carbon capture system is taking shape on the ground at carbon removal project developer Deep Sky’s site in Canada, validating our technology for gigatonne-scale deployment alongside geological storage.
With the right approach, direct air capture can combine CO2 utilisation with storage, trapping historic carbon in valuable products like building materials. Our DAC technology is being deployed alongside O.C.O Technology’s production facilities in Norfolk, demonstrating the permanent removal of atmospheric CO₂ into building aggregates for the first time in the UK.
What is direct air capture technology: common misconceptions
Understanding what direct air capture is, means ruling out what direct air capture is not. With DAC plants popping up across the globe, there are already a number of common misconceptions circulating around this growing climate technology.
Misconception: Direct air carbon capture is the same as carbon capture and storage (CCS).
Debunked: Though these terms are often mistakenly interchanged, DAC and CCS are fundamentally different. Whilst both remove carbon from the air, CCS technology does so at the source of new emissions (chimneys of industrial manufacturing plants), whilst DAC operates independently to capture CO₂ from the ambient air.
Learn more: What sets DAC apart from CCS technology?
Misconception: Direct air capture’s energy intensity makes it impractical.
Debunked: While DAC does require energy to operate, it can be deployed alongside the build-out of renewables, keeping its carbon footprint low. Our heat-free electrochemical technology can be flexibly adjusted to work with variable energy loads, making it a well-placed solution to the curtailment of renewable power.
Misconception: Direct air capture is a silver bullet for solving climate change.
Debunked: DAC is not a standalone solution, but part of a broader climate strategy that champions emissions reductions, the adoption of renewable energy, and which employs a range of diverse CDR solutions. Its value lies in its ability to address hard-to-abate emissions and provide a pathway to net-negative emissions when combined with storage or utilisation technologies.
What is direct air capture’s role in mitigating the climate crisis?
The role of direct air capture in fighting the climate crisis is two-fold – tackling the build up of historic CO₂ in our atmosphere, alongside displacing fossil carbon through the delivery of a reliable, circular source of CO₂.
Whilst our planet is already equipped with a wide range of nature-based CDR solutions like forests, marshes, and even soil, they can’t store carbon for long enough and at a quick enough rate to protect us from the impacts of climate change. Complementary, engineered carbon removal solutions like DAC are scaling rapidly alongside the build-out of renewable energy – helping us to establish a more sustainable relationship with carbon, for the long-term.
Ready to expand your DAC knowledge even further? Check out our ultimate guide to Direct Air Capture: Climate Tech for a Post-Fossil World
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