Kenyan Start-Up Harnesses Geothermal Energy to Capture Carbon from the Air

 

In the scrublands of central Kenya, engineers are piloting a groundbreaking climate solution using geothermal steam to power machines that extract carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. The initiative, led by Kenyan start-up Octavia Carbon, is part of a broader effort to combat global warming through Direct Air Carbon Capture, or DACC.

See also:  South Africa Celebrates ‘Nelly M’ on Nelson Mandela Day, Honoring Late Icon’s Legacy

Located in the energy-rich Great Rift Valley, Kenya generates nearly half its electricity from geothermal sources, offering a unique advantage for this energy-intensive process. DACC works by drawing air across a chemical filter that captures carbon dioxide. The filter is then heated in a vacuum to release and collect the gas, which can be stored underground or sold as carbon credits.

Each of Octavia’s prototype machines can remove about ten tons of carbon dioxide annually, roughly equivalent to the carbon capture of one thousand trees. The company plans to build a larger facility capable of removing one thousand tons per year by next year. Octavia has already secured around three million dollars in carbon credit contracts, half of which have been prepaid.

Despite the small scale of current operations, co-founder Martin Freimüller emphasized the importance of starting small to build towards large-scale impact. Scientists estimate that the world will need to remove seven to nine billion tons of carbon dioxide annually by 2050 to meet climate targets set by the Paris Agreement.

While critics, including Greenpeace, argue that carbon capture may enable fossil fuel companies to delay meaningful climate action, the UN’s climate panel sees it as essential for reducing emissions in hard to decarbonize sectors.

Octavia has also partnered with US-based Cella Mineral Storage to become the second country after Iceland to inject captured CO2 underground, positioning Kenya as a leader in innovative climate solutions driven by local technology and expertise.