Carbyon’s first two carbon removal installations will help clean the Québec skies

While competing technologies need hours to capture CO2 from air, Carbyon’s process takes only a few minutes. And because ‘fast’ can lead to ‘cheap’, Carbyon’s ambitions have been noticed around the world, now resulting in an agreement to set up two Direct Air Capture (DAC) installations in Québec, Canada.

Deep Sky, a Montreal-based gigaton-scale carbon removal project developer, and Carbyon, a Netherlands-based DAC company, have agreed to partner in their carbon removal technology in Canada. As part of its partnership with Deep Sky, Carbyon will deliver and install two Air Processing Units (APUs), each with the capacity to remove 50 tons of CO2 annually.

Carbyon develops equipment to filter CO2 from the air to be stored underground. The Eindhoven-based startup was founded in 2019 as a spin-off company from the research institute TNO. Its goal is to create affordable and scalable technology that can be used to stop climate change. An XPRIZE Milestone Award winner, Carbyon has raised $10M in venture funding. Carbyon is a former Gerard & Anton Award winner.

As the world’s first gigaton-scale carbon removal company, Deep Sky will operate Carbyon’s APU in its Labs innovation facility. The system will be installed in Québec later this year, leveraging the region’s vast renewable hydroelectric energy reserves.

Fast swing process

Building upon decades of semiconductor technology developments, Carbyon uses a rigorously different approach compared to competing technologies: a fast swing process via a modular machine that contains a proprietary sorbent material, modified to rapidly and efficiently capture CO2 out of air.  Fast swing means ​​ultra-short CO2 adsorption and desorption cycles. While conventional materials need hours to capture CO2 from air, Carbyon’s process takes only a few minutes. This fast swing process is the key to lowering the energy consumption and enabling massive scaling of low-cost machines. The team’s ultimate goal is to deliver a cost of below €100 per ton of CO2 –  significantly lower than current rates.

Once in operation, the partners will monitor the performance of the APU at Deep Sky Labs. Data will be collected on the unit’s performance in terms of carbon dioxide removal (CDR), energy consumption, and more. Together, the partners aim to validate the technology for commercial deployment in Canada as part of Deep Sky’s mission to develop Canada into a world-leading hub for carbon removal. 

Lower energy consumption

“One of the many criteria that makes Carbyon stand out is the affordability and small footprint of its Air Processing Units,” said Damien Steel, Deep Sky CEO. “Its ultra-fast sorbent process increases CO2 capacity, decreases cost and energy consumption, ultimately producing a smaller unit which can be more easily transported and takes up less space to deploy. As a project developer sourcing units from around the world to produce the highest quality carbon credits for our customers, Carbyon was a natural choice.” Next to Carbyon, Deep Sky plans to invite more DAC companies to partner with.

“From the high-tech region of Eindhoven, we’re thrilled to share our technology on a global stage at Deep Sky Labs. Carbyon exists to positively impact the planet, and this partnership brings us one step closer to achieving our mission.”
Hans De Neve, Carbyon Founder and CEO.

High-quality CDR is essential for achieving net zero emissions goals and mitigating the impacts of climate change. Powered by renewable energy, Deep Sky’s facilities are strategically located in Québec, a region with abundant hydroelectric power, immense wind power potential, and a vast territory with the rich geological makeup required for carbon capture.