Recently founded South Ocean Air has announced it will implement an innovative direct air capture (DAC) technology using cellulose to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere in a move to contribute to the fight against climate change.
The company, which was officially launched on April 22 — Earth Day — this year, is currently on the lookout for investors. It was co-founded by Dominic Sewell, holding the position of CEO, and Donald H. White, PhD, who is the company’s CTO.
South Ocean Air’s technology uses a patented method to process cellulose into a new molecule, which is specifically designed to attract CO2 and can be scaled to passively capture the harmful greenhouse gas from the air. Cellulose is an organic material abundantly found plants, trees, and other natural sources.
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According to South Ocean Air, there are several competitive advantages to this technology, including its low cost and the widespread availability of its raw material.
With an estimated cost of under $20 per ton of carbon pulled from the atmosphere, the technology would be accessible and affordable for both governments and companies.
Additionally, it would allow all countries to participate in the fight against climate change since it uses plant cellulose, which is both plentiful and inexpensive, as its raw material.
“One of the unique advantages of our technology is that we can quickly process the new molecule to easily capture carbon dioxide, and repurpose the captured gas easier than anyone else,” Dr. White said in a comment.
Furthermore, approximately 30 pounds of the cellulose-based material is equivalent to an acre of trees in terms of CO2 removal, meaning that the technology is scalable and can generate a significant impact, he added.
South Ocean Air plans to start selling cellulose to customers by early 2024.
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