Montreal-based Deep Sky has successfully completed the construction of Project Alpha—its landmark cross-technology carbon removal center in Innisfail, Alberta.
The carbon removal developer announced that Deep Sky Alpha has officially achieved the “Mechanical Completion” stage, which means all of its major equipment and systems have been installed in accordance with engineering specifications.
In the case of Alpha, this signifies that the site has met the requirements on development and building permits, civil construction, electrical interconnection, and site energization, and it has completed the electrical and mechanical installation of all required systems, including process building, carbon storage, and compressed air and water distribution systems.
Deep Sky proudly shared that this milestone was achieved within an impressive timeframe, where the project advanced from land lease signing to complete mechanical completion in under a year.
As the first-of-its-kind cross-technology innovation and commercialization CDR center, designed and engineered in partnership with BBA, Deep Sky Alpha will deploy up to 10 different direct air capture (DAC) technologies simultaneously from a number of world-class providers.
This approach will allow the testing of various technologies under the same conditions, shedding light on optimizations that would unlock cost reductions and scaling.
The DAC systems deployed at Alpha will capture atmospheric CO2 that will then be permanently stored underground. The strategic location of Innisfail enables the facility to tap into the region’s abundance of permanent geological CO2 storage sites, along with reliable sources of renewable power.
Relevant: Deep Sky Picks Isometric As A Carbon Registry For Project Alpha
Deep Sky Alpha will be able to capture 3,000 tonnes of CO2 annually, targeting a capacity of 30,000 tonnes during its initial 10-year operating period.
Now that the site is fully built, Deep Sky is moving forward with commissioning the individual DAC technologies, with operations slated to begin this summer and the first verified carbon removal credits expected to be generated by the end of 2025.
Deep Sky’s groundbreaking progress was powered by a $40 million grant from Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, as well as CDR purchases locked in with funding buyers Microsoft, Royal Bank of Canada, and Rubicon Carbon.
Read more: Alex Petre Named As New Deep Sky CEO As Damien Steel Steps Down From His Post
