Overview

• Heirloom Carbon Technologies has opened its first US commercial plant in California, focused on capturing carbon dioxide from the air for permanent storage in concrete.
• The emerging carbon removal industry sees potential in Heirloom’s technology; however, critics argue it could be a distraction from emission reduction efforts.
• The plant will absorb a maximum of 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, equivalent to the exhaust from about 200 cars, with the company aiming to expand this capacity.
• Microsoft has signed a deal with Heirloom to offset their own emissions, purchasing carbon removal credits associated with 315,000 tons of carbon dioxide.
• The federal government supports these initiatives, awarding $1.2 billion in August to several companies, including Heirloom, to build larger direct air capture plants in Texas and Louisiana.
• Heirloom’s technology engages a rapid reaction of calcium oxide and carbon dioxide to form limestone, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and turning it into a permanently sequestered form.