Mission Zero Technologies has deployed its direct air capture (DAC) plant, purchased by the University of Sheffield's Translational Energy Research Center (TERC), reportedly marking the first such facility in operation in the United Kingdom.
The DAC system uses renewable energy and water to remove carbon from the atmosphere through electrochemical processes. TERC is using the plant in a demonstration project that will work to certify end-to-end production of jet fuel, or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), made from atmospheric carbon. The plant is operated remotely and will run on solar power, capturing 50 metric tons of carbon from the air each year.
“We’re thrilled to be delivering our first ever DAC plant on home soil with the University of Sheffield,” said Dr. Nicholas Chadwick, CEO of Mission Zero Technologies. “DAC is a multi-use technology able to drive deep industrial decarbonization and permanent carbon removal. Through pioneering partnership, we’re already realizing that potential.”
The company’s DAC technology was designed to be rapidly scaled, featuring a modular design that may be integrated with load-variable grids. DAC has been identified as a key piece of meeting global emissions reductions targets, so DAC companies are working to commercialize and deploy the technology quickly in order to catch up with progress required to reach net zero by 2050.
The U.K. government has established a mandate requiring 10% of all jet fuel to be made from sustainable feedstocks by 2030. Mission Zero Technologies claims that DAC is widely seen as the only technology that may provide a sustainable carbon feedstock to help the U.K. meet this goal.
SAF is often made from materials such as oilseeds or organic waste, but a process that translates captured carbon into SAF may allow for even greater emissions reductions. By using DAC technology towards this end, TERC may also demonstrate the technology's ability to help heavily fossil-fuel-dependent industries decarbonize.
“This installation is hugely exciting for us, and for the world, as we discover more about the potential for decarbonized industrial processes and air transport using novel DAC technology,” said Professor Mohamed Pourkashanian, managing director of TERC. “TERC’s capabilities in processing captured carbon in order to transform it has made it an ideal location for the first DAC plant. We’re excited to work closely with MZT on this project and other world-leading activities.”
