Direct carbon/air capture (DCC) is one of the most effective ways of reducing global atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels and locking CO₂ away for thousands of years. Partnered with carbon offsets, DCC could play a crucial role in mitigating climate change. So, we had to ask: what are the best direct carbon capture offsets?

The best direct carbon/air capture offsets are offered by Climeworks, Novocarbo, and Heirloom that all capture CO₂ from the air and store it permanently. In addition, Captura capture and store CO₂ with the help of ocean water and Carbin Minerals via the natural process of weathering and mineralization.

Keep reading to learn more about the best direct carbon capture offsets, how these carbon offset projects work and what their respective offsetting costs are. At the end of the article, we’ll also share with you how effective direct carbon capture offsets are, what their pros and cons are, and how these offsets can help mitigate climate change.

Here’s What All the Best Direct Carbon/Air Capture Offsets Have in Common

Carbon offsets are reductions in carbon emissions that are used to compensate for carbon emissions occurring elsewhere. They are measured in tons of CO₂ equivalents and are bought and sold through international brokers, online retailers, and trading platforms on what is known as the global carbon offset market.

“Carbon offset: a way for a company or person to reduce the level of carbon dioxide for which they are responsible by paying money to a company that works to reduce the total amount produced in the world, for example by planting trees”

Oxford Dictionary

Direct carbon/air capture (DCC) offsets are a technology-based carbon offset solution, where plants are constructed that suck CO₂ out of the air and store it in underground geological formations. CO₂ reduction occurs immediately, making DCC an effective way to reduce CO₂ emissions. 

“Direct carbon capture: the process of storing carbon dioxide that has been collected and removed from the atmosphere, in solid or liquid form”

Oxford Dictionary

The two main types of DCC are liquid and solid DCC:

1. In liquid systems, air is passed through chemical solutions to remove the CO₂. 
2. In solid systems, sorbent filters are heated and placed under a vacuum to release CO₂, which is then captured for storage or use.

These Are the Best Direct Carbon/Air Capture Offsets in 2024

Below are our favorite direct carbon capture offsets (you can click on their link to directly jump to their section in this article):

Climeworks: The Leader in Direct CO₂ Removal

Climeworks, a DAC company in Zurich, Switzerland, is the leader in the CO₂ removal game. It was founded in 2009 by engineering university students Jan and Christoph, who were shocked at the melting glaciers in the Swiss Alps. Climeworks’ mission is to inspire one billion people to remove CO₂ from the air and reverse climate change.

“Let’s reverse climate change”

Climeworks

Project overview: The Climeworks specialized machines take CO₂ from the air, mix it with water, and pump it deep underground. Through the process of natural mineralization, the captured CO₂ is turned to stone. Since their inception in 2017, Climeworks has built 15 DAC machines. In 2021, they switched on the world’s first large-scale DCC plant, called Orca. And in the same year they also began construction for their newest DCC plant, Mammoth, which will have an annual carbon capture capacity of 36,000 tons, nine times that of the Orca plant. The current efficiency rate of their DCC plants of capturing CO₂ lies at over 90% permanent removal, with only up to 10% of emissions being re-emitted by operating their machines.

Carbon offset effectiveness: Climeworks offsets are permanent, measurable, and effective. 

Carbon offset costs: Climeworks offers monthly, one-off, or gift carbon purchase options at a cost of $1.20 per 1kg of CO₂ removed. 

How to get your carbon offsets: You can get your carbon offsets directly from Climework’s webshop, where you can also select how much CO₂ you want to remove along with your preferred frequency (monthly, one-off, or gift).

Novocarbo: Repurposing CO₂ Into Sustainable Products

Novocarbo has been capturing CO₂ in biochar since 2018, and today they offer one of the first scalable carbon removal solutions on the European market. Their mission is to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere now, because our climate can’t wait.

“Because we can scale anywhere”

Novocarbo

Project overview: Novocarbo uses pyrogenic carbon capture and storage (PyCCS), which converts CO₂ into regenerative energy and biochar, thereby locking away the carbon for thousands of years. The biochar can be used as soil, as a replacement for cement, and in regenerative agriculture. Through this process, Novocarbo generates carbon credits which they sell through the Puro.earth and Carbonfuture trading platforms. 

Carbon offset effectiveness: Novocarbo’s process complies with the European Biochar Consortium (EBC) standard. To be listed on Puro.earth, Novocarbon also had to undergo third-party independent verifiers who audit carbon removal project facilities and issue CORCs; and to be listed on Carbonfuture, Novocarbo have to comply with their high standards,  including third-party methodology, certification, and auditing.

Carbon offset costs: Novocarbo uses resellers to sell their carbon capture solutions.

Visit the Puro.earth, or Carbonfuture website to learn more about their respective pricing.

How to get your carbon offsets: You can get your Novocarbo offsets through the Puro.earth, or Carbonfuture websites. 

Heirloom: A Carbon Mineralization Solution

Heirloom was founded on the belief that everyone on this planet deserves to thrive, and climate equity plays a big role in making that happen. They are striving to create a resilient, equitable, and prosperous world for everyone. Their mission is to remove one billion  tons of CO₂ from the air by 2035 by engineering the most cost-effective, scalable direct air capture system.

“Restoring balance to our atmosphere”

Heirloom

Project overview: Heirloom’s carbon removal technology speeds up the process of natural mineralization, whereby minerals absorb CO₂ from the air. The CO₂ is then injected underground and stored permanently. 

Carbon offset effectiveness: Heirloom’s process permanently locks away CO₂ in underground geological formations. The process is permanent, sustainable, and compact.

Carbon offset costs: Costs are determined after initial contact with the Heirloom team.

How to get your carbon offsets: You can get in touch with a representative to get your carbon offsets.

Captura: Capturing CO₂ from Ocean Water at Scale 

Captura was founded in 2021 as a provider of low-cost, atmospheric carbon removal via the use of our largest natural CO₂ absorber, our oceans. Their mission is to provide a globally scalable tool for climate action.

“Captura offers a critical tool in the fight against climate change utilizing unique gigaton-scalable Direct Ocean Capture (DOC) technology developed at Caltech.”

Captura

Project overview: In general, Captura’s systems use renewable electricity and ocean water to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. Captura’s technology purifies ocean water into salt water, which undergoes electrodialysis to create an acid and a base, the former of which draws out CO₂. The CO₂ is captured and subsequently sequestered or re-purposed. This process produces high-quality carbon credits, which they can supply directly or through their licensing partners.

Carbon offset effectiveness: Captura’s carbon offsets are permanent, verifiable, additional, and have minimal land-use impacts. 

Carbon offset costs: Captura estimates that their carbon credits cost below $100 per ton of CO₂ . 

How to get your carbon offsets: You can visit their website and contact a representative to learn more and to get your carbon offsets. 

Carbin Minerals: Reimagining Mine Waste

Carbin Minerals was founded in 2021 and is based in Vancouver, Canada. Through the natural process of weathering and using mine tailings, they aim to reduce the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere and turn the dial on climate change. Their mission is to provide durable carbon removal on a gigaton scale. 

“From Air to Rock – Permanent Carbon Removal”

Carbin Minerals

Project overview: Carbin Minerals utilizes the natural process of weathering, where rocks absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere and turn it into a mineral. But instead of the process taking thousands of years, Carbin Minerals has developed research that speeds up the process into a matter of weeks or days. And by partnering with mines, they can transform mine tailings into giant carbon sinks capable of extracting and permanently storing large amounts of CO₂.

Carbon offset effectiveness: Carbin Minerals provides carbon offsets that are permanent and verifiable. 

Carbon offset costs: Costs are determined after initial contact with the Carbin Minerals team.

How to get your carbon offsets: Contact a team representative to get your carbon offsets.

Neustark: Storing CO₂ in Concrete

Neustark was founded in 2019 on the shared vision of a solution for the utilization and storage of CO₂. Today they have developed technology that produces one of the most climate-friendly concrete. Their mission is to reduce the global construction industry’s carbon footprint by 1 billion tons of CO₂ per year by 2050.

“Co₂ncrete Solutions. Today.”

Neustark

Project overview: Neustark removes CO₂ from the atmosphere and permanently stores it in recycled concrete via the process of mineralization, what they call their ‘Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) service’. Approximately 10kg of CO₂ are stored per cubic meter of concrete, and up to 20kg of CO₂ emissions are avoided in the concrete production process. This results in a carbon removal efficiency of 95%.

Carbon offset effectiveness: Neustark’s carbon credits are permanent, safe, and only issued for a net carbon removal. Their process is also credited by the Gold Standard.

Carbon offset costs: Costs are determined after initial contact with the Neustark team.

How to get your carbon offsets: You can directly contact a representative to get your carbon offsets.

CarbonBuilt: Converting CO₂ to Concrete

CarbonBuilt is a company working to create a world where global economic prosperity no longer threatens our climate. Through their patented process, they transform CO₂ into precast concrete. Their mission is to help concrete manufacturing drive greenhouse gas emissions reduction by using CO₂ and other industrial wastes in a cost effective manner.

“Carbon for good™”

CarbonBuilt

Project overview: CarbonBuilt takes CO₂ generated by industrial processes and transforms it into precast concrete, where it remains locked away for 1,000+ years. The result is a 70 to 100+% reduction in the concrete’s carbon footprint. Their carbon credits are generated by removing cement and switching to materials produced with a lower carbon footprint (carbon avoidance) and by using natural mineralization to capture CO₂ from industrial processes (carbon removal). 

Carbon offset effectiveness: CarbonBuilt’s projects are measurable, permanent, and additional.

Carbon offset costs: Carbonbuilt offers a one-time or monthly subscription option for $200 per ton of CO₂ removal + processing fees.

How to get your carbon offsets: You can visit their website to directly purchase your carbon offsets.

Parallel Carbon: Carbon Removal in Parallel with Decarbonization

Parallel Carbon was founded during the COVID-19 pandemic as a company focused on developing technology that is compatible with renewable energy, reduces fossil fuel demands, and reduces the cost to achieve net zero. Their mission is to remove and sequester more than 2 gigatons of CO₂ per year from the air by 2040.

“Renewable and scalable direct air capture at rock-bottom costs”

Parallel Carbon

Project overview: Parallel Carbon uses a patent-pending direct air capture technology that is based on the process of mineral looping. This process is based on wind, sun, and minerals. Renewable energy powers electrolytic operations to create acids and bases which are then used to separate CO₂ from the ambient air. The captured CO₂ can be repurposed or injected underground and permanently stored. The process itself generates high-quality carbon credits that can be sold.

Carbon offset effectiveness: Parallel Carbon’s carbon credits are scalable, based on renewable energy, and are permanent (with a 100-1,000 year permanence when stored in carbonate rocks or when sequestered underground in wells). 

Carbon offset costs: Costs are determined after initial contact with the Parallel Carbon team.

How to get your carbon offsets: Contact a Parallel Carbon representative to get your carbon offsets.

Carbo Culture: Nature + Engineering to Lock Away Carbon

Carbo Culture has been in the works since 2013, when its founders first developed a novel carbon removal solution. Today, Carbo Culture is a team of engineers, climate experts and change makers on a mission to draw down 1 billion tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere.

“Technology to permanently keep CO₂ out of the air”

Carbo Culture

Project overview: In the natural carbon cycle, living plants draw down carbon from the atmosphere, and decomposing plants release carbon back into the atmosphere. Carbo Culture’s patented technology, Carbolysis™, hacks this cycle and converts the CO₂ from decomposing plants into biochar, preventing it from being re-emitted into the atmosphere. It can then be stored permanently underground. Carbolysis™ converts agricultural waste into biochar, generates usable heat, and produces carbon credits. 

Carbon offset effectiveness: Carbo Culture’s offsets are permanent, as biochar is stored underground and will not decompose for over 1,000 years.

Carbon offset costs: Costs are determined after initial contact with the Carbo Culture team.

How to get your carbon offsets: You can contact a representative to get your carbon offsets.

Noya: Capturing CO₂ With Cooling Towers

Noya is a US-based company founded in 2020 that specializes in direct air capture via retrofitted cooling towers that suck CO₂ from the air. Their mission is to retrofit all of the 2 million cooling towers in the US to mitigate climate change. 

“Accelerating the world towards carbon neutrality.”

Noya

Project overview: Noya is working to retrofit cooling towers in the US to perform direct air capture. They do so by installing ducting and CO₂ capture equipment alongside your cooling tower and CO₂ processing equipment downstream from it. They then add a chemical blend to the water that binds CO₂ so it can be captured and removed. And they share with you the carbon credits that are generated.

Carbon offset effectiveness: Noya carbon credits are permanent, as their technology captures and removes CO₂ from the air. 

Carbon offset costs: Carbon credits generated from the retrofitted cooling towers are provided to you at no cost. Contact a representative to discuss the costs involved with retrofitting your cooling tower. 

How to get your carbon offsets: You can schedule a consultation with a representative to purchase your carbon offsets.

How Effective and Efficient Are Direct Carbon/Air Capture Offsets

In terms of efficiency, direct carbon capture (DCC) offsets have a low rate of carbon re-emission, a low land-usage requirement, and a low life-cycle carbon footprint.

In terms of effectiveness, DCC offsets are effective at mitigating climate change because they are permanent and immediate, but they do not reduce your own carbon emissions.

DCC offset projects are efficient at reducing CO₂ emissions because they:

• Can have a low rate of carbon re-emission when the plant is operated by low-carbon electricity
• Can have low land-usage requirements depending on the type of plant and the energy source that powers it
• Have a low life-cycle carbon footprint across their building, operating, and building back stages

DCC offsets are effective at mitigating climate change because they:

• Permanently remove carbon from the atmosphere
• Remove CO₂ emissions immediately upon operation of the DCC machines

However, DCC offsets do not reduce your own carbon emissions, which can lead to greenwashing. This occurs when emissions are only offset and not reduced from the source, and the consumer is deceived into thinking they are offsetting their emissions but in reality they are not. This is why we should first reduce our emissions before relying on offsets.

What Are The Pros and Cons of Direct Carbon/Air Capture Offsets

Direct carbon capture (DCC) offsets are permanent, immediate, improve air quality and protect ecosystems, have low rates of carbon re-emission, have low land-usage requirements, and have a low carbon footprint across their life cycle stages. They also allow us to reduce carbon emissions in ways we wouldn’t be able to accomplish individually.

However, DCC offsets are also expensive, are not yet scaled to compensate for all of our global carbon emissions, and do not reduce your own carbon emissions.

What Are the 7 Pros of Direct Carbon/Air Capture Offsets

DCC offsets have various pros that make them an effective, long-term solution to reducing global atmospheric CO₂ levels.

What Are the 3 Cons of Direct Carbon/Air Capture Offsets

Understanding the drawbacks of DCC offsets is important when implementing the technology on a large scale in order to mitigate climate change.

How Can Direct Carbon/Air Capture Offsets Help Mitigate Climate Change

Climate change is a severe and long-term consequence of fossil fuel combustion. DCC offsets can help mitigate climate change because they eliminate fossil-fuel derived carbon from our atmosphere which, if left untreated, can remain there for tens of thousands of years and exacerbate the negative effects of climate change.

How is Climate Change Defined

Climate change is arguably the most severe, long-term global impact of fossil fuel combustion. Every year, approximately 33 bt of CO₂ are emitted from burning fossil fuels. The carbon found in fossil fuels reacts with oxygen in the air to produce CO₂. 

“Climate change: changes in the earth’s weather, including changes in temperature, wind patterns and rainfall, especially the increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere that is caused by the increase of particular gasses, especially carbon dioxide.”

Oxford Dictionary

Atmospheric CO₂ fuels climate change, which results in global warming. When CO₂ and other air pollutants absorb sunlight and solar radiation in the atmosphere, it traps the heat and acts as an insulator for the planet. Since the Industrial Revolution, Earth’s temperature has risen a little more than 1 degree Celsius (C), or 2 degrees Fahrenheit (F). Between 1880-1980 the global temperature rose by 0.07C every 10 years. This rate has more than doubled since 1981, with a current global annual temperature rise of 0.18C, or 0.32F, for every 10 years. 

As outlined in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, we must cut current GHG emissions by 50% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. 

How Do Carbon Offsets Generally Help Mitigate Climate Change

Levels of carbon in our atmosphere that cause climate change have increased as a result of human emissions since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in 1750. The global average concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today registers at over 400 parts per million. Carbon offsets can help prevent these levels from increasing even more.

When you hear the words “carbon offset”, think about the term “compensation”. Essentially, carbon offsets are reductions in GHG emissions that are used to compensate for emissions occurring elsewhere. 

Carbon offsets that meet key criteria and verified project standards, are additional and permanent, and are a part of projects that are carried out until the end of their lifespan have the best chance of reducing carbon emissions and therefore reducing climate change. 

When we offset CO₂ we also slow the rate of global temperature rise, which in turn minimizes the effects of climate change. 

How Do Direct Carbon/Air Capture Offsets Specifically Help Mitigate Climate Change

DCC offsets specifically help mitigate climate change because they are certain, measurable, and immediate. 

• DCC offsets are certain: Unlike traditional offsets which simply compensate for your carbon emissions, DCC offsets permanently remove CO₂ from the atmosphere with a low rate of re-emission. Storing the carbon underground in rock formations is also a permanent process. 

• DCC offsets are measurable: Climeworks DCC offsets are measurable, so you know precisely how much carbon dioxide they’ll remove in your name. This allows you to track how much CO₂ you are offsetting compared to what your carbon footprint is.

• DCCs are immediate: CO₂ emissions reductions occur as soon as the machines become operational. Once the machines start sucking in atmospheric air, CO₂ removal begins.

As outlined in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, we must cut current greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. DCC is important to meet these targets because it eliminates carbon, which when emitted, can remain in our atmosphere for tens of thousands of years.

Final Thoughts

Climeworks, Novocarbo, and Heirloom are the best direct carbon capture offsets. Captura uses ocean water, Carbin Minerals and Parallel Carbon use mineralization, Neustark and CarbonBuilt use concrete, and Carbo Culture uses biochar to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. Noya retrofits cooling towers to capture CO₂. All of these companies permanently remove CO₂ from the atmosphere and prevent its re-emission for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

DCC offsets are permanent, immediate, allow us to reduce carbon emissions in ways we wouldn’t be able to accomplish individually. But for all of the good carbon offsets can instigate, they should not be seen as the only solution to climate change. They are effective at reducing CO₂ in the short-term, but in the long term they fail to reduce CO₂ enough. 

When used in conjunction with direct CO₂ reduction measures, carbon offsetting can be much more effective. We should reduce our own carbon footprint as much as possible first, and only then choose the most effective carbon offsets.

Stay impactful,

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