A Swiss firm specializing in carbon capture technology is establishing its Canadian base in Calgary. Climeworks, a pioneer in commercial direct carbon capture plants, operates by extracting carbon dioxide from the air for underground storage.
Currently, a small team is working from a shared space in downtown Calgary facilitated by the Energy Transition Centre foundation. Climeworks plans to test its technology in Alberta’s winter conditions using a mobile testing facility set to arrive in the fall after undergoing trials in Saudi Arabia.
Following the testing phase, Climeworks intends to construct a large-scale plant in Alberta, with the exact location and timeline yet to be finalized. The company already runs two direct air capture plants in Iceland, with Mammoth, the larger facility, targeting the removal of 36,000 tonnes of CO2 yearly, equivalent to emissions from approximately 8,400 vehicles annually.
Moreover, Climeworks recently collaborated with Coca-Cola to utilize captured carbon for carbonating sparkling water. The firm’s co-founder, Christoph Gebald, envisions this upcoming plant in Alberta as their most significant endeavor to date.
Alberta, recognized as a “global leader” by Catie O’Neal from Carbon Removal Canada, boasts the necessary elements for successful carbon capture projects, including industry expertise, a supportive regulatory framework, ample geological storage locations, and crucial tax incentives from provincial and federal authorities.
As the United States reduces its backing for direct carbon capture, Alberta has emerged as an appealing market for such ventures, as per Jorden Dye of the Pembina Institute’s Carbon Dioxide Removal Centre. Notably, Montreal-based Deep Sky commenced its carbon capture activities in Innisfail, Alta., last year.
Climeworks, with a global workforce of around 400 employees, plans to expand its local team in Calgary. Despite a recent workforce reduction of 10%, attributed to necessary adjustments after rapid expansion, the company remains dedicated to advancing carbon capture technologies.