Every industry is aspiring to minimize their CO₂ emissions and achieve net zero. But in some industries, reducing CO₂ emissions is not as straightforward as in others, due to constraints such as mobility, footprint, or inherent process steps that make it hard to decarbonize these sectors. That’s where an innovative solution and a scalable technology called direct air capture (DAC) comes in.
At the GE Vernova Advanced Research Centers (ARCs) in Niskayuna, New York, and Bengaluru, India, engineers are making huge breakthroughs on DAC. In 2021 GE Vernova began studying the art of capturing carbon from thin air. After a thorough study of different technologies, the team at GE Vernova pinned their design approach on sorbent-based technology, which uses a solid chemical that acts like a sponge. Thermal and vacuum conditions are applied to the solid sorbent to release the greenhouse gas. Bingo: The team had a CO2 capture concept, but they still needed to scale it up in a cost-effective way to make it reality. That’s where the seasoned team at Gas Power worked very closely with the ARC team to design a highly efficient plant, leveraging their years of experience in plant and accessories.
“We utilize purpose-built labs and test stands from 0.25 kilograms per day to now 10 tons per year. The sorbent and the system are the heartbeat of the DAC plant, and today we are proud to unveil our test facility in Niskayuna, which can capture 10 tons of CO₂ per year across a wide range of operating conditions — an important step toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.”
The industrial sector is paying close attention as GE Vernova advances its carbon capture technology and moves closer to making large-scale, cost-effective DAC a reality. Just last week, the company announced that its DAC system will be deployed at Deep Sky Alpha in Alberta, Canada, the world’s first cross-technology CO₂ removal hub. GE Vernova’s technology will be able to capture up to 1,500 tons of CO₂ per year, roughly equivalent to the carbon removal potential of planting 70,000 fully mature trees.
Find out more how GE Vernova is playing a key role in writing the blueprint for commercial-scale direct air capture here.
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