Carbon America to partner on two Regional Direct Air Capture (DAC) Hub feasibility studies being led by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
The project aims to create a model for responsible, community-centric carbon capture and storage (CCS) from the ground up, inclusive of community feedback in support of sustainable economic and social development goals.
Carbon America will conduct transport and geologic carbon storage research for two Regional Direct Air Capture (DAC) Hub feasibility studies being led by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC).
The Colorado (Pueblo) Regional DAC Hub and Florida Regional DAC Hub projects are being funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to advance promising technologies that can capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and store it underground.
The emerging field of Direct Air Capture requires a massive commitment to driving down costs for three primary inputs – energy, water and land use – to achieve sustainable net-zero goals.
The two projects were announced in August 2023 by the DOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), in collaboration with the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).
Carbon America will lead efforts to integrate a DAC facility into a regional carbon storage site.
“This new DOE grant for DAC Hubs underscores the vital role of public-private partnerships in advancing research and development efforts that can reshape the future of carbon management.,” said Brent Lewis, CEO of Carbon America.
Both projects will develop cooperative relationships between DAC technology providers, green energy providers, CO2 transportation networks, and companies seeking to pump CO2 underground or use it in industrial processes.
“The collaborative approach to the projects exemplifies the importance of gaining stakeholder buy-in and maximizing positive impacts for disadvantaged or underserved communities,” said Ashleigh Ross, VP of Policy and Strategic Engagement at Carbon America. “Key to our success will be strong relationships with diverse community stakeholders to develop an equitable, just, and environmentally responsible approach to a regional decarbonization solution.”
What is Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology?
DAC is a process that separates carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air, helping to reduce legacy CO2 in the atmosphere. The separated CO2 can then be safely and permanently stored deep underground or converted into useful carbon-containing products like concrete that prevent its release back into the atmosphere.
Colorado (Pueblo) Regional DAC Hub
DOE Funding: $2,999,992
Non-DOE Funding: $751,646
Total Value: $3,751,638
The project will test promising technologies that can capture CO2 from the atmosphere and store it underground based on geological studies of the Denver-Julesburg Basin. In May 2023, Colorado School of Mines, Carbon America and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) were awarded $32.6 million in funding for Project Eos from the DOE’s CarbonSAFE initiative to study geologic storage potential in the region.
Florida Regional DAC Hub
DOE Funding: $2,778,670
Non-DOE Funding: $791,394
Total Value: $3,570,064
The project will test promising technologies that can capture CO2 from the atmosphere and store it underground in the Tuscaloosa Group (thick, permeable saline aquifers 4,920 to 7,050 feet deep). The Florida Regional DAC Hub intends to develop cooperative relationships between DAC technology providers, green energy providers, CO2 transportation networks, and companies seeking to pump CO2 underground or use it in industrial processes.