Heirloom Carbon Technologies Launches a DAC Facility in California

Heirloom Carbon Technologies Inc. has inaugurated a pioneering Direct Air Capture (DAC) facility in Tracy, California. It is acclaimed as the first commercial DAC operation in the United States, with a capacity to capture 1,000 tons of CO2 annually. The renewable energy-driven plant has already operated for nearly 1,000 hours. In collaboration with CarbonCure Technologies, the captured carbon dioxide is set to be permanently stored in concrete.

The facility's output will contribute to the carbon dioxide removal credits purchased by companies like Microsoft, Stripe, Shopify, and Klarna. This initiative is aligned with President Biden’s aspiration for a net-zero country by 2050 and supports California Governor Gavin Newsom’s aim for the state to reach net-zero by 2045.

Heirloom emphasizes its commitment to responsible carbon removal practices, ensuring that the captured CO2 will not be used for enhanced oil recovery and excluding oil and gas producers from its equity structure. Shashank Samala, CEO and Co-Founder, likened the facility to a time machine, highlighting its rapid scale-up from capturing 1 kilogram to 1,000 metric tons of CO2, a leap towards the company’s goal of removing 1 billion tons by 2035.

Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm lauded the facility during its unveiling as a model for America's fight against climate change. Governor Newsom praised the project as an embodiment of California's leading-edge climate goals, noting its dual benefits of air pollution reduction and job creation in the Central Valley.

Heirloom has raised significant funding, including a $53 million Series A in 2022, and has been a trailblazer in DAC-to-concrete storage. The company is also a contender for substantial federal funding for a new DAC facility in Louisiana.

The DAC process at Heirloom involves limestone and renewable energy to extract CO2, offering a cost-effective method for permanent carbon removal. California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis celebrated the facility as a milestone in California's climate leadership, marking the state's progress towards carbon neutrality by 2045.

According to the article by Procurement Resource, Heirloom Carbon Technologies has launched the USA's first commercial Direct Air Capture facility in Tracy, California, capable of capturing 1,000 tons of CO2 annually, using renewable energy. The technology is set to sequester carbon in concrete, supporting net-zero goals and supplying credits to companies like Microsoft. It represents a significant step towards scalable, low-cost carbon removal and California's ambitious climate targets.