Stratos, expected to be commercially operational by mid-2025, is leveraging Carbon Engineering’s DAC technology, devised to capture and remove large amounts of CO2 directly from the atmosphere. The technology offers an effective solution to the challenge of decarbonizing high-emission activities such as aviation and transportation. The captured CO2 for ANA will be securely stored and isolated in saline reservoirs that ar not used for gas and oil production. 

“Direct Air Capture is a vital and scalable carbon removal technology that is necessary to help society achieve net zero,” said Michael Avery, President, 1PointFive. “The aviation industry can uniquely benefit from DAC as a pathway to removing carbon emissions securely, practically and on a large-scale.”

“As we continue to review and invest in sustainable and innovative technologies and processes that help further our mission, we look forward to seeing the positive impact that partnering with 1PointFive brings to our airline.“, said Shinichi Inoue, ANA’s President, and CEO.

What is Direct Air Capture?

Direct Air Capture (DAC) is a technology that removes carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere.

Using high-powered fans, air is drawn into a processing facility where the CO₂ is separated through a series of chemical reactions. Then the CO₂ is either permanently stored in underground reservoirs through secure geologic sequestration, or is used to make new products such as building materials and low-carbon fuels.

What are the benefits of DAC?

DAC can help reduce the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere and potentially help mitigate climate change. Furthermore, it can addresses CO2 produced by a range of sources, not only those which can be easily managed at the point of emission, such as power plants or industrial facilities.

DAC plants can be built virtually anywhere, which offers flexibility when choosing sites for construction and operation. This could be particularly advantageous in locations where CO2 emissions are high but there is limited space or capacity for traditional carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.

DAC technologies can also be scaled up to capture significant quantities of CO2. Large-scale deployment of DAC could potentially capture billions of tons of CO2 per year, making a substantial contribution to global greenhouse gas(GHG) reduction efforts.

The CO2 DAC plants capture can be combined with hydrogen to produce synthetic fuels. These fuels, often referred to as “e-fuels”, could potentially offer a carbon-neutral alternative to fossil fuels.

The captured CO2 can also be used in various industrial processes such as the production of construction materials, carbonated beverages, or even in the cultivation of algae for biofuels. This approach, known as carbon capture and utilization (CCU), could create new economic opportunities.