Octavia Carbon is building the world’s first Global South-driven direct air capture facility in Kenya

Kenya has an abundance of natural resources – it is the world’s seventh-largest producer of geothermal energy. This, combined with other renewable energy sources account for 90% of the total grid electricity in the country. The geographic conditions created by the Great Rift Valley, which runs through Kenya from north to south, are particularly suitable for deploying direct air capture (DAC) plants. The Kenyan Rift, known for its many unique geographical features, is also rich in basaltic rock. The porous structure allows for the effective capture and storage of carbon from the atmosphere, making adoption and scale-up of DAC technology favorable.

DAC plants require massive amounts of energy to operate. Kenya’s vast renewable energy potential makes it ideal for the DAC technology to be deployed, as the electricity consumed by these stations does not contribute to global warming. The process commences when air is drawn to the DAC collector using a fan. Once carbon dioxide is captured, it is dissolved in water, making it an acidic and bubbly liquid. This is then injected directly into the volcanic rocks in the area, where it reacts with the basalt. Carbon dioxide is stored permanently in these rocks without adverse effects on the surrounding environment. 

The DAC technology is still in its nascent stages and will formally launch with Project Hummingbird, Octavia’s flagship DAC facility, in partnership with Cella Mineral Storage, the CO2 storage partner in Kenya. The technology employed by Cella Mineral Storage chemically converts Co2 from a gaseous state into a carbonate mineral, with its techniques geared toward maximizing water efficiency, given the dry arid climate of the region. Building and installation of the plant takes 1-2 years, and Octavia Carbon is already planning to commence operations towards the end of 2024.

Octavia Carbon has also partnered with Carbonfuture to implement the world’s first digital monitoring, reporting, and verification (dMRV) system for Direct Air Capture. The dMRV is equipped with IoT technology to provide real-time CO2 measurements and the platform will help ensure the credibility of the CO2 removal data collected. 

Octavia Carbon’s growing partnerships with private sector partners and interests from the Kenyan government and local communities serve as an example of how countries in the Global South can be part of developing solutions to combat climate change. The company emphasizes Kenya’s renewable energy capacity, the attractive geology of the Great Rift Valley, and the young and innovative population of Kenya as key assets that will drive the success of this Global South-driven DAC technology.