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Amazon makes its first investment in direct air capture technology to combat climate change.
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Amazon commits to purchasing 250,000 metric tons of carbon removal over a decade from 1PointFive's STRATOS DAC plant.
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The Climate Pledge Fund also invests in CarbonCapture Inc., known for modular DAC systems designed for cost-effective CO2 removal.
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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasizes the need for DAC and other solutions to remove 1 trillion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere.
On September 12, 2023,
Amazon announced its first investment in direct air capture (DAC), a crucial technology in the battle against climate change. This development aligns with Amazon's Climate Pledge commitment, which aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
To advance this endeavor, Amazon is supporting the most extensive DAC technology deployment globally. The company has committed to purchasing 250,000 metric tons of carbon removal over a decade from the STRATOS project, 1PointFive's inaugural DAC facility. This quantity is equivalent to the natural carbon storage in over 290,000 acres of U.S. forests, approximately half the size of Rhode Island. The captured carbon will be securely stored underground in saline aquifers, large geological rock formations saturated with saltwater.
In addition to this investment, Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund is contributing to CarbonCapture Inc., a climate tech firm renowned for its groundbreaking modular DAC systems. These systems are designed for seamless upgrades with cutting-edge sorbents that extract carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. This adaptability facilitates cost reductions driven by rapid advancements in material science.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) underscores the need to remove approximately 1 trillion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere in this century to meet the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Achieving this objective necessitates organizations evolving their operations by deploying emission-reducing technologies and capturing already-emitted CO2. While restoring natural ecosystems plays a significant role, technological solutions like DAC are essential for capturing and removing substantial volumes of CO2 from the air.
DAC technology involves filtering CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it underground or utilizing it to create construction materials such as concrete, bricks, and cement. These new investments will make DAC a key component of Amazon's broader sustainability strategy, which also encompasses nature-based solutions such as forest conservation and restoration.
Facilitating one of the largest DAC Purchase Agreements
1PointFive is currently constructing the world's largest DAC facility in Ector County, Texas. Once fully operational, it is expected to capture up to 500,000 tons of CO2 annually. The plant will harness Amazon Web Services (AWS) digital infrastructure for real-time performance analysis and operational optimization, thus enabling the firm to implement the learnings in future DAC facilities. This partnership with Amazon represents one of the largest purchase agreements ever for a DAC facility.
Expediting the commercial deployment of DAC
CarbonCapture, a climate tech startup, focuses on expediting innovation and scalability within the DAC industry. Their patented modular open system architecture enables new sorbents, an essential component responsible for CO2 filtration, to be swapped in as they become available. Maximizing sorbent performance is a central strategy in reducing DAC costs over time. Furthermore, besides Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund investment, CarbonCapture is providing up to 100,000 tons of carbon removal credits to Amazon, intended for use by Amazon and its business partners, suppliers, and customers.
Amazon initiated the Climate Pledge in 2019, committing to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement's timeline. Over 400 companies, including Best Buy, IBM, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Siemens, Unilever, Verizon, and Visa, have since joined this initiative. Amazon continues to transform its transportation network towards sustainability by electrifying its delivery fleet and seeking alternative fuels. Presently, over 9,000 electric delivery vehicles from Amazon's global fleet are delivering countless packages worldwide. Since 2015, packaging initiatives have reduced average packaging per shipment by 41%, eliminating the need for over 2 million tons of packaging materials. Additionally, the company is investing $2 billion in developing decarbonizing services and solutions through the Climate Pledge Fund, which currently supports 23 companies and startups across five countries.