One of the world’s biggest carbon capture projects coming to Wyoming

CASPER (WNE) — New Mexico-based climate tech company Spiritus this week announced plans to build a large-scale direct air capture project in central Wyoming, adding to the Cowboy State’s growing portfolio of carbon capture initiatives.

The “Carbon Orchard” project will be among the most ambitious DAC projects on the planet, with the potential to capture and sequester up to two megatons of CO2 from the atmosphere annually — at a fraction of the current market cost, the company claims.

The project’s promise rests on an advanced sorbent technology; different from first generation carbon capture practices, whose energy intensive absorption and desorption cycles have stymied commercial application.

The proprietary Spiritus system is able to arrest and sequester carbon dioxide using lower-temperature cycles, lowering the cost dramatically, the company contends.

But it’s not just about capturing technology: Location and geologic expertise are decisive factors too. Wyoming’s forefront position in the realm of geologic storage makes it a prime destination for large scale DAC projects.

As one of only two U.S. states with “primacy“ to regulate Class VI wells — an exclusive category of deep geologic formations necessary to permanently store carbon dioxide safely — the Cowboy State is an easy choice for sequestration investments like the “Orchard One.”

The project could put Wyoming at the center of a burgeoning carbon credit market, by which states, businesses, and even individual millionaires purchase carbon allowances to offset emissions to satisfy climate goals.

“Establishing Orchard One in the state of Wyoming marks a major advancement in our global journey towards net-zero,” said Charles Cadieu, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Spiritus. “Our approach, a first in the industry, brings high-efficiency carbon removal within the economic reach of broader markets.”

This story was published on March 21, 2024.