ESA BIC Noordwijk alumnus Skytree is the technology provider for Project Concho, the world’s first direct air capture (DAC) hub powered entirely by wind energy. Located in Tom Green County, TX, USA, this pioneering project was announced as combining Skytree’s advanced DAC technology with new wind power and onsite geological carbon storage to permanently remove CO₂ from the atmosphere.
The following is a re-post of a news item from the Skytree website
When fully operational, Project Concho will initially capture 30,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually, with plans to scale up to 500,000 tonnes per year. The project represents a significant step forward for the carbon removal industry. It is based on Skytree’s flagship Stratus DAC Park concept, allowing seamless scaling and maximum uptime.
Collaborative effort to scale carbon removal
The project is a collaboration between renewable energy leader Greenalia and carbon capture project developers Return Carbon and Verified Carbon, with Skytree enabling the project through its advanced DAC technology. Greenalia will construct a new wind farm to power the facility, ensuring 100% renewable energy use for carbon removal operations.
The DAC hub guarantees a reliable “offloading” pathway whereby excess wind energy can be readily utilised – a critical factor in determining the size and viability of a renewable energy project – in return for access to low-cost energy, one of the challenges associated with large-scale DAC projects. This symbiotic arrangement sets the stage for future joint wind-DAC projects that enable greater scale, lower risk, and reduced costs for both wind and DAC.
The project represents a significant step forward for the carbon removal industry
“Project Concho is a first-of-its-kind collaboration that opens the door to even more ambitious and transformative carbon removal projects,” said Elena Nikonova, VP North America at Skytree. “Deploying DAC at a scale is necessary to drive down costs across the value chain and achieve greater impact and we are thrilled to provide the technology needed to bring Project Concho to life.”
Enabling efficient and scalable carbon removal
The facility will feature an array of Skytree Stratus units connected to a DAC Park. Skytree’s patented DAC technology continuously optimises energy use and drives down energy consumption while ensuring optimal CO₂ capture efficiency. In addition, its modular design and 24/7 uptime guarantee made it a logical choice for a large-scale project like Project Concho in which units will be added over time.
“We selected Skytree as the technology provider for Project Concho because of their advanced, field-proven solutions, a clear pathway to scalable manufacturing backed by a global partner, and the strong alignment of our business values,” said Martijn Verwoerd, co-founder and director at Return Carbon.
Advancing the future of carbon removal
With Project Concho, Skytree reaffirms its commitment to enabling 10 M tonnes CO₂ capture by 2030. As the world’s first 100% wind-powered DAC hub, this project marks a major milestone in addressing global CO₂ emissions and scaling solutions for a sustainable future.
The news item was initially shared on the Skytree website
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About: Skytree harnesses CO₂ from ambient air through the power of direct air capture (DAC) technology. By embracing its mission to fuel the clean CO₂ transition, the company’s DAC systems actively reduce current and historical carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, providing for both utilisation and storage. The technology represents a stable and sustainable carbon dioxide source, captured directly from the air. The solution helps businesses meet their CO₂ needs while contributing to a healthier planet. skytree.eu
