Germany-based direct air capture (DAC) company Ucaneo has teamed up with industrial automation giant Siemens, looking to optimize operations at its DAC plants.
Through this partnership, Siemens will provide its expertise on automatization and digitalization, helping Ucaneo standardize processes as it works towards scaling impact.
Ucaneo specializes in a novel heat-free, low-energy DAC technology driven by a system that uses a biomimetic solvent to capture atmospheric CO2 in a stable bicarbonate form, imitating the process in which CO2 travels through the human body.
Working at room temperature, the system puts the captured CO2 through an accelerated conversion inside its electrochemical stack, and electrodialysis releases and concentrates the carbon into a continuous stream of high-purity gas.
The company shares that currently, they are able to achieve costs below ~$350 (€300) per ton, with a feasibility study-confirmed path for reaching ~$118 (€100) per ton in the future.
In mid-2025, Ucaneo launched its first industrial DAC pilot facility that served to confirm the low-cost feasibility of this innovative carbon removal approach. This plant represents one of the largest of its kind in Germany, with an annual CO2-capture capacity of 30-50 tons.
By the middle of 2026, the company is planning to introduce a technical FOAK in Berlin, which will be used as a DAC testing ground, and by the end of 2027, Ucaneo intends to launch a commercial FOAK with an initial carbon capture capacity of > 1000 t/y.
The partnership with Siemens is expected to boost Ucaneo’s journey from innovation to industrial deployment, helping improve the efficiency for both of the partnering companies.
Relevant: Aramco Backs Ucaneo To Establish Germany’s Largest DAC Facility
On behalf of Siemens AG Digital Industries, Carsten Voss, Head of Vertical Sales Process Industries, stated:
“Together with Ucaneo, we are combining our expertise to create sustainable direct air capture solutions through targeted digitalization and automation—helping accelerate climate goals. We’re proud to be part of this innovative journey.”
Ucaneo CEO Florian Tiller commented, “Partnering with Siemens is a key building block for us to elevate the optimization of our DAC plants through standardization and advanced automation. Together, we are shaping the future of CO₂ removal and actively contributing to decarbonization.”
Read more: Ucaneo Secures Funding To Build Cutting-Edge CO2 Removal Technology
