Economics of Direct Air Capture: Pathways to Cost Reduction​​

Direct air capture (DAC) extracts CO2 from ambient air; incumbent approaches to DAC are thermochemical, using CO2-selective solvents and sorbents, while more emerging approaches are electrochemical. The captured CO2 can be permanently sequestered in subsurface formations or converted into value-added products like fuels and chemicals. As one of few engineered CO2-removal solutions already generating carbon credits, DAC is strongly influencing modern climate strategy — as an offset tool and a source of nonfossil carbon feedstock.

Given the aggressive scale-up needed to meet CO2-removal targets, cost reduction is a high priority for technology developers and is touted to come from a combination of technology advancement, falling renewables prices, and regulatory support. To provide a better understanding of this landscape, our in-depth e-book provides an overview of select key DAC technologies, including how the technology works, its commercial status, and various challenges.