Climate change isn’t a game with a "get out of jail free" card – but direct air capture could be the answer to a looming crisis. Think of it as community service for the environment, a way to extract large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and make up for decades of fossil fuel consumption. It’s a scientifically backed idea, but the challenge lies in making it commercially viable.
- Cost Challenges: Currently, it is not cheap to capture a metric ton of carbon – around $600 to $1,000. To be competitive, startups are racing to reduce this cost to $100 per metric ton. While it may sound like a tough sell when burning fossil fuels remains free, forward-thinking investors and big companies like Microsoft, Shopify, and Stripe are placing their bets on the future adoption of direct air capture.
- Scaling Up: Leading startups like Climeworks and Carbon Engineering believe that scaling operations will bring costs down. By using sorbents to suck in carbon dioxide and releasing it using heat, they aim to store it safely in other locations. However, founder of Phlair, Malte Feucht, argues that scale alone won’t cut it. The energy-intensive process of thermal regeneration remains a costly step, and alternative methods are needed.
- Innovation: Phlair takes a different approach to direct air capture. By using acids instead of heat to liberate carbon dioxide, they’ve developed a unique process involving a device called a hydrolyzer, inspired by hydrogen industry methods. Phlair’s DAC machine employs a pH swing method, where solvents flow through an absorber, absorb carbon dioxide, and go through a chemical reaction when mixed with acids. This liberates the carbon dioxide, which can then be used or stored.
As Feucht stated, "This is a unique time in history." Phlair’s journey to create a functioning company that tackles the carbon crisis is not only possible but essential. With pilot projects underway and larger plants set to launch, the future of direct air capture seems promising. The investment in innovative solutions like these underscores a united effort to combat climate change and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
