Achievement for Climeworks’ direct air capture plant

Carbon dioxide removal is key to achieving global net zero climate targets and new, stringent carbon dioxide removal standards like this one by CO2 removal company Climeworks are urgently needed.

Climeworks’ new large-scale direct air capture plant “Orca” has successfully achieved independent third-party validation from DNV, the global leader in quality and risk assurance. 

A first in CO2 removal for Iceland

“Orca” is the name of Climeworks’ new direct air capture and storage plant in Iceland. Orca will take carbon dioxide removal to the next level by combining Climeworks’ direct air capture technology with rapid underground mineralization provided by its partner Carbfix. Orca, planned to be operational in 2021, will have a nominal capture capacity of 4000 tons of CO2 per year, which makes it the biggest climate-positive facility to date.

DNV was commissioned in 2020 by Climeworks to provide an independent third-party validation, which was performed in December 2020.

The validated methodology covers the capture of CO2 from air and its preparation to be transported for permanent geological storage. This represents the first third-party validation of a direct air capture project, targeting permanent carbon dioxide removal. 

CO2 removal processes must be verified

Amidst raising climate concerns and the search for high-quality carbon dioxide removal options, robust validation and verification processes are critical.

This represents the first third-party validation of a direct air capture project targeting permanent carbon dioxide removal, demonstrating Climeworks’ role to set the standard. This milestone will soon be a regular practice for the direct air capture and storage industry.