Carbon capture specialist Climeworks is strengthening its research into direct air capture (DAC) with a new high-throughput adsorption testing unit from Netherlands-based Avantium R&D Solutions.
The system will help Climeworks test and develop more efficient materials for CO2 removal, supporting the company’s efforts to scale up DAC technology and reduce costs.
The unit, designed to refine CO2 adsorption processes, has already shown efficiency gains.
Avantium says that the technology uses 25 times less sample material and gas, cutting costs and making testing more efficient. It also ensures all materials are tested under the same conditions, improving accuracy and helping Climeworks to refine CO2 capture technology faster.
“Avantium’s high-throughput adsorption testing unit will enhance our ability to develop and test new materials and accelerate the deployment of our DAC systems on a global scale,” said Jan Wurzbacher, Co-CEO and co-founder of Climeworks.
Climeworks captures CO2 directly from ambient air and stores it underground in Iceland through its partner Carbfix. Its most prominent current project is their ‘Mammoth’ plant in Iceland, considered the world’s largest DAC facility, capable of removing up to 36,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.
However, the main challenge facing DAC technology is the high energy consumption and cost. Most DAC systems operate at costs of $500 to $1000 per tonne of CO2, depending on technology and scale. Climeworks has said that its long-term costs might stabilise around $300 per tonne by 2030 – far from the $100 industry benchmark that’s the headline target.
This is backed up by Boston Consulting Group, which believes that costs need to fall to below $200 per tonne by 2050, but preferably earlier.
“This cost reduction would dramatically accelerate demand for DAC, encourage private developers to build more capacity, and make the technology affordable for the world,” said David Webb, Chief Sustainability Officer and Managing Director.
Avantium, which specialises in chemical and materials testing, sees the collaboration as a step toward making DAC more commercially viable. By improving material efficiency and reducing testing costs, Climeworks hopes to accelerate progress toward wider adoption.
