As CO2 is homogeneously spread in the atmosphere, our raw material is available everywhere. Beyond this, there are two important requirements that we need to build a direct air capture and storage facility:
- Renewable energy to power our plants and
- CO2 storage options
Iceland, where our plant Orca is located, provides ideal conditions because of the abundance of renewable energy and basalt rock, an ideal geologic formation for CO2 storage via mineralization.
However, this process can also be applied in other areas around the world where renewable energy and geologic storage options are available.
Climeworks is exploring CO2 storage sites around the world, for instance with existing partnerships in Oman and Norway. Both countries provide suitable locations for direct air capture and storage because of the abundance of renewable energy and safe and permanent storage options for CO2.
In Oman, Climeworks is jointly testing the feasibility of direct air capture and storage with the Omani company 44.01. There, CO2 can be stored in peridotite formations. In Norway, where Climeworks is working together with Northern Lights, CO2 could be stored in an offshore saline aquifer under the North Sea.