First operational CO₂ removal project in North America

Canadian atmospheric carbon removal company Deep Sky recently announced that its project, Deep Sky Alpha, has officially begun operations. This major milestone marks the first-ever operational project of its kind in North America.

Deep Sky Alpha is located in an industrial park in Innisfail, Alberta.  Deep Sky chose the site primarily because of its available, skilled workforce, strong regulatory framework and commitment to responsible development.

Only 12 months elapsed between the start of construction and the launch of operations, supporting the case for the rapid deployment of this type of infrastructure. The facility brings together several direct air capture (DAC) technologies, enabling scalability, speed and innovation. Alpha allows multiple technologies to be operated and optimized under identical conditions, accelerating the industry’s path to cost-effective, scalable carbon removal.

The captured CO₂ comes from several DAC units from around the world.  The site has space for up to 10 units in total. Units currently being commissioned include those of UK companies Airhive and Mission Zero Technologies and Quebec-based Skyrenu. Additional DAC units will be installed in the fall and winter of this year.

Deep Sky Alpha Direct Air Capture, source:  Deep Sky Alpha

Deep Sky Alpha’s strategic location was also chosen for its easy access to renewable energy and proximity to permanent geological storage. The facility, which is powered entirely by solar energy, will capture 3 000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. The project created more than 110 construction jobs and will employ approximately 15 full-time operators. Progress in capture and sequestration at Alpha will be monitored continuously using proprietary software, with updates available on the Deep Sky website.

Deep Sky Alpha is the first step in Deep Sky’s global carbon removal effort, with large-scale projects already underway in Alberta, Quebec and other regions. The milestone follows a recent $40 million grant to Deep Sky from Breakthrough Energy Catalyst and carbon removal credit purchase agreements with buyers including Microsoft and the Royal Bank of Canada.