Turin, the miracle of CarpeCarbon, the start-up that captures CO2 in the air: ‘One day we will ‘dispose’ of it like waste’
This is the title of an article about us published today in Corriere della Sera. A technological leap from what exists today is needed, and that is what we are striving to achieve. This is not a “miracle”, but a challenge we are committed to facing head-on.
At CarpeCarbon, we are dedicated to reversing climate change and ensuring a cleaner, more sustainable environment for future generations. Our mission is ambitious: we are building Italy’s first plant to capture carbon dioxide directly from the air.
Last year, we secured over €1.7 million in funding from Tech4Planet (CDP Venture), 360 Capital, Club degli Investitori, and PiemonteNext (including Finpiemonte). This funding will help us finalize and implement our groundbreaking technology.
We are pioneering the use of Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology, which shifts the focus from merely reducing emissions to actively lowering CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Our goal is to go beyond net-zero emissions and achieve a significant reduction in atmospheric CO2.
Our CEO and co-founder, Giuliano Antoniciello, explains that our process filters the same air we breathe daily, rather than targeting emissions at their source. We are currently designing our pilot plant, with construction set to begin in late 2024, likely in southern Italy, and inauguration planned for summer 2026.
A key challenge we are addressing is the high energy consumption of this technology. We’ve already reduced our operating expenses by 90% and are committed to using only renewable energy. While it currently costs at least a thousand dollars to eliminate one ton of CO2, we aim to reduce this to 100 $/ton.
Our next step is to test the plant’s performance in real-world conditions, enabling us to make necessary adjustments. This will provide valuable insights into operation, consumption, and impact, allowing us to design commercial-scale plants capable of removing tens or even hundreds of thousands of tons of CO2 annually.
Initially, our new plant will remove just under a thousand tons of CO2 per year, converting it into inert, secure rock. This is just the beginning of our journey towards making a significant impact.
We believe that the removal of atmospheric CO2 will eventually be viewed as a standard waste management and disposal service. With human activities currently emitting around 40 billion tons of CO2 annually, there is no time to waste.
To read the full article and learn more about our work at CarpeCarbon, please visit Corriere della Sera.