The Wyoming Regional Direct Air Capture Hub, led by CarbonCapture Inc., has been selected to receive $12.5 million in funding by the DOE.
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–CarbonCapture Inc. (CarbonCapture) and a team of strategic partners today announced that they have been selected to receive $12.5 million in funding by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to initiate the development of a megaton-scale direct air capture (DAC) hub in Southwest Wyoming. The first phase of the project includes a FEED study for a DAC facility that captures 200,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year, which will be permanently sequestered in geologic formations by anchor partner Frontier Carbon Solutions, or used as a feedstock in the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by anchor partner Twelve. Additional partners include the University of Wyoming, Fluor, Carbon Direct, INTERA, EPRI, Carbon-Based Consulting, Icarus, and NOVUS Energy Advisors.
“We’re extremely grateful for the DOE’s support of our efforts to establish Wyoming as a global center of excellence for direct air capture,” said Adrian Corless, CEO and CTO of CarbonCapture Inc. “This funding will accelerate both the deployment of megaton-scale DAC capacity in Wyoming and the emergence of a new carbon management industry in the region.”
In May 2022, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated $3.5 billion to a DOE program aimed at establishing multiple megaton-level regional DAC hubs. The Wyoming hub, spearheaded by CarbonCapture, stands as one of five projects selected to receive DOE support under Topic Area 2.
In the initial phase of the Wyoming DAC hub project, the team will conduct preliminary engineering studies for a DAC carbon removal facility and SAF production plant, as well as develop an infrastructure plan for transporting captured CO2 to sequestration and utilization sites.
“Collaboration is essential for creating a just, regenerative, and climate-positive future. We look forward to working together in Wyoming to revolutionize the transformation of captured CO2 into valuable products through the integration of DAC technology,” Nicholas Flanders, CEO & Co-Founder of Twelve.
In addition, the Wyoming DAC hub team will develop a comprehensive community benefits plan that encompasses investments in workforce development, support for Wyoming Tribes, conservation efforts, and community-backed infrastructure initiatives. A key objective of the project is to ensure that the emerging DAC industry aligns with the culture and values of Wyoming’s local communities.
“The community benefits plan for the DAC hub is an important opportunity for us to partner with the communities of Southwest Wyoming while building out the DAC industry,” says School of Energy Resources (SER) Research Scientist and UW lead Selena Gerace. “SER has long engaged with Wyoming’s energy communities on novel technologies and will continue to do so alongside CarbonCapture. DAC can be an important part of economic diversification for the state. Ensuring strong community engagement and partnerships at early stages is vital for this industry to be successful.”
The DOE also selected three additional projects in which CarbonCapture will be an anchor or co-anchor DAC technology provider: the Southwest Regional Direct Air Capture Hub (AZ), the Aera Direct Air Capture Hub (CA), and the Illinois Basin Regional DAC Hub (IL).
Read the full article published on Business Wire here.
