The quest to mitigate climate change has sparked a surge of innovative technologies aimed at reducing carbon emissions. Among these, direct air capture (DAC) stands out as a promising yet challenging approach. While it may not be a magic bullet for the climate crisis, DAC offers a viable method for removing substantial amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, serving as a form of atonement for decades of fossil fuel consumption.
At its core, DAC technology works by extracting CO2 directly from the air. However, the economic viability of this process remains a significant hurdle. Currently, the cost of capturing a metric ton of carbon dioxide hovers between $600 and $1,000, which is far from the threshold that would make it competitive with fossil fuel use. As a result, numerous startups are racing to develop more cost-effective solutions, with the ambitious goal of achieving a capture cost of $100 per metric ton. This financial challenge is compounded by the fact that burning fossil fuels is still largely perceived as free, which complicates the commercial appeal of carbon capture technologies.
Several startups, including Climeworks and Carbon Engineering, are banking on the idea that scaling up operations will help drive down costs. These companies utilize sorbents to absorb CO2, which is then released through a heating process. However, this thermal regeneration step is notoriously energy-intensive and expensive, raising questions about the sustainability of such methods. A report has highlighted that capturing a meaningful amount of carbon—around 10 gigatons per year—using conventional approaches could require nearly three-quarters of the global electricity supply, underscoring the pressing need for alternative methods.
Enter Phlair, a nascent direct air capture startup that proposes a different solution. Rather than relying solely on heat, Phlair leverages a chemical process involving acids and bases to liberate carbon dioxide. The company’s innovative hydrolyzer draws inspiration from the hydrogen industry, utilizing a combination of membrane-based electrolyzers and fuel cells. While traditional electrolyzers convert electricity into hydrogen, Phlair’s system produces acids and bases that facilitate the carbon capture process.
Phlair’s DAC technology employs a technique known as the pH swing method. This process begins with a basic solvent that absorbs CO2 as air flows through an absorber. Once the solvent is saturated, it is transferred to a tank where it encounters an acid, triggering a chemical reaction that releases the captured CO2. The solvent is then regenerated and cycled back into the system, making the process both efficient and sustainable.
Looking ahead, Phlair is gearing up to launch a pilot project capable of capturing 10 metric tons of carbon annually. Following this initial phase, the startup plans to scale up its operations with larger plants designed to capture 260 metric tons of CO2 per year. Notably, one of these facilities will be built in collaboration with Paebble in the Netherlands, where the captured carbon will be utilized to produce a cement additive. Another project in Canada, in partnership with Deep Sky, aims to store the carbon permanently, showcasing the versatility of DAC technology in various applications.
Phlair has already made strides in the carbon credit market, successfully selling credits to organizations like Frontier, which collaborates with major tech companies such as Alphabet and Meta. To support its ambitious projects, Phlair secured a €12 million seed funding round along with a €2.5 million grant from the European Innovation Council’s Accelerator program.
As the urgency to combat climate change intensifies, the convergence of technological innovation and market demand creates a unique opportunity for DAC companies like Phlair. As co-founder and CEO Malte Feucht notes, the landscape has shifted dramatically in the past decade. What once required the formation of non-profit organizations can now be approached as a viable business model, blending environmental responsibility with economic opportunity. This evolution reflects a broader trend in which addressing the climate crisis is increasingly seen as a path to innovation and growth, rather than a burden.
In summary, while direct air capture technology is still in its infancy, it holds considerable promise as a tool for combating climate change. The ongoing efforts by startups like Phlair to innovate and scale their solutions could pave the way for a more sustainable future, where carbon capture becomes a critical component of our global response to environmental challenges.