Deep Sky launches carbon removal innovation centre in Western Canada

Deep Sky, a Montreal-based carbon removal project developer, is launching a $50-million carbon removal innovation and commercialization centre on the other side of the country.

Deep Sky Labs, planned for Innisfail, Alta., represents an industry first for the private development of scalable carbon dioxide removal (CDR), according to a release by the company.

It’s also the first cross-technology project in the world and the first commercial direct air capture project in Canada.

“I cannot overstate the significance of the world’s first carbon removal innovation and commercialization centre, and what this means for Canada and our planet at large,” said Damien Steel, Deep Sky CEO, in the release.

“This project represents a world first and serves as a testing ground from which the nascent industry can grow into Canada’s multi-trillion-dollar enterprise.”

Deep Sky looks to accelerate the path to low-cost, low-energy intensity and highly scalable CDR to produce high integrity carbon credits — which other companies can use to offset emissions and meet their decarbonization commitments.

The company said it’s looking to break ground on the centre “imminently” and will look to begin operations this winter. Engineering and design work is wrapping up with Quebec-based firm BBA.

The estimated $50-million centre will have the capacity to capture 3,000 tons of CO2 per year, or 30,000 tons over a 10-year period, with up to 10 different technologies. It will also include room for future expansion.

“We’re in the business of scaling carbon removals, and this first facility represents a giant step forward for the health of our planet and our economy,” said Steel.

“Prioritizing quality and speed, we’re proud that this facility went from concept to construction in less than a year.”

The company estimates around 80 workers will be employed during construction of the centre, with another 15 for annual operations.

The project could infuse more than $110 million in the Innisfail community over the next decade, the company estimates. It suggests subsequent commercial plants across Canada will employ approximately 1,000 workers for construction and 150 for annual operations.

“The Town of Innisfail is thrilled to work with Deep Sky and welcomes them to our community,” said Innisfail Mayor Jean Barclay in the release.

“To have a company of this magnitude who is on the leading edge of carbon removal technology located in Innisfail is truly exciting for us. The selection of Innisfail by Deep Sky speaks volumes to our business readiness, our willingness to respond at a pace that is necessary in today’s business environment, and our vision for a new state-of-the-art industrial park.”

How it works

Deep Sky Labs makes it possible for many different direct air capture (DAC) concepts to be tested simultaneously.

Its tech-agnostic nature decreases delivery and operational risks while increasing the speed at which the industry can scale. This novel approach solves for the delivery delays that have plagued past global carbon removal projects.

To start, eight state-of-the-art DAC technologies will be deployed at the facility, sitting side-by-side with standardized instrumentation for the collection of operational data.

They’ll be tested and optimized for performance year-round in the Canadian climate and validated before committing to them at commercial scale.

Proprietary Deep Sky software will track and benchmark all operational data to accelerate the research and development of technology partners and the industry at large.

The eight technologies —  by Airhive, Avnos, Phlair (formerly Carbon Atlantis), Greenlyte Carbon Technologies, Mission Zero, NEG8 Carbon, Skyrenu, and Skytree — will have full access to renewable power and carbon storage, enabling a life cycle analysis to ultimately produce verified carbon removal credits validated by third-party carbon registries.

Together, the partners represent the world’s foremost CO2 carbon removal technologies.

Deep Sky Labs has room for 10 different DAC technologies and can expand. It’s actively seeking additional technology developers interested in piloting their direct air capture technology.

The company said priority criteria include a pathway to low energy intensity (1,000 kWh per ton of CO2 captured or lower at scale), simplicity and focus on removing CO2 (no utilization pathways), manufacturing and scalability, and a strong team.

The CO2 collected at Deep Sky Labs will be trucked to an existing well at the Meadowbrook Carbon Storage Hub operated by Deep Sky’s storage partner Bison Low Carbon Ventures, north of Edmonton in Sturgeon County.

Bison is advancing the Meadowbrook project through the regulatory approval process and has a dedicated injection well capable of handling all Deep Sky Labs volume.