Letter on carbon: Direct action

A flurry of interest in direct air capture signals a key role for the technology in the push for net zero

Direct air capture (DAC) is poised to break through into the net-zero technology mainstream. Government support, notably in the US, and investment by big oil and corporate buyers of carbon removal are transforming it from fringe technology to serious decarbonisation option—albeit an expensive one with challenges ahead as it scales up. The level of commitment shown to DAC in the US in the last couple of months alone is striking. The Department of Energy (DOE) has provisionally awarded two hub projects $1.2b of funding in the first phase of a $3.5b support programme. “With this once-in-a-generation investment made possible by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, DOE is laying the fou