Phlair, a direct air capture (DAC) technology company, in partnership with project developer Carbon Removal through its subsidiary NorDAC Kollsnes AS, has announced plans to establish Europe’s first large-scale DAC carbon removal and geological storage facility in Øygarden, Norway. The initiative is set to be located adjacent to the Northern Lights carbon transportation and storage project, with an initial target to remove 60,000 tonnes of CO2 annually, expected to expand to 500,000 tonnes in its second phase.
DAC technology, identified by the International Energy Agency (IEA) as a crucial carbon removal strategy in the transition to a net-zero energy system, functions by extracting CO2 directly from the atmosphere. The captured CO2 can be employed as a raw material or permanently stored when paired with geological storage solutions.
Phlair’s DAC system is specifically engineered to operate solely on solar electricity and is load-flexible, enabling it to assist the electricity grid while maintaining low CO2 removal costs. The companies assert that this project will exemplify how DAC can be sustainably scaled in conjunction with renewable energy infrastructure. The captured carbon will either be permanently stored or utilised for CO2-negative chemical production.
Malte Feucht, CEO of Phlair, commented, “Europe is at a turning point and can become a leader in carbon management. We are laying the foundations for large-scale, permanent carbon removal.”
Under this new collaboration, Phlair will provide its hydrolyzer modules and offer engineering services, installation, and commissioning. NorDAC will manage the remaining infrastructure, project development, and operational aspects. Throughout the contract period, Carbon Removal will serve as Phlair’s exclusive DAC client in Norway.
The companies have chosen Norway as the project site due to the region’s existing infrastructure for CO2 storage and its entirely renewable power grid. Eirik Lilledahl, Founder and Chair of Carbon Removal, stated, “We strongly believe in the prospects of DAC in Norway and the potential that DAC has as large-scale contributor to the fight against climate change.”
