EDF Renewables North America (EDFR) has inked a term sheet to supply renewable wind power to three large-scale direct air capture (DAC) facilities in Texas with a capacity for up to 500,000 tonnes of CO2 per annum.
The energy firm signed a term sheet with Return Carbon to supply wind electricity through behind-the-meter power purchase agreements (PPAs)
EDFR will provide Return Carbon with wind electricity through behind-the-meter power purchase agreements (PPAs) to power facilities being developed with DAC tech provider Skytree and Verified Carbon.
By using a behind-the-meter mechanism, EDFR Associate Director of Capital Improvements, Gabe Messercola, said the DAC facilities could avoid exposure to power market fluctuations.
Skytree unveiled plans for a DAC facility powered entirely by wind power in November.
Project Concho aims to capture 30,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually in its initial phase and will scale up to 500,000 tonnes per year in the future.
At the time, Skytree announced a partnership with renewable energy firm Greenalia and carbon capture project developers Return Carbon and Verified Carbon.
These sites will utilise the Gulf Coast’s geological carbon storage capacity to store captured carbon dioxide (CO2), supporting the removal of 500,000 tonnes of negative emissions annually.
Martijn Verwoerd, Managing Director of Return Carbon, described the collaboration as a stepping-stone for DAC development, noting the combination of portfolios to accelerate carbon removal.
Skytree, Return Carbon, and Verified Carbon were selected through a request-for-proposal initiative launched by EDFR in 2024 to find partners for an agreement on renewable power for DAC projects in the Gulf Coast area.
Project Concho will incorporate multiple Skytree Stratus units linked to a DAC Park. Skytree’s DAC technology is designed to optimise energy use and minimise consumption while maintaining effective CO2 capture.
Its modular design and continuous operation capabilities make it a suitable choice for a large-scale initiative like Project Concho, where additional units will be introduced progressively.
