California-based company Aircapture has partnered with Japanese concrete producer AIZAWA to install a commercial direct air capture (DAC) facility in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.
As part of this collaboration, Aircapture will deploy its DAC technology at AIZAWA’s Fukushima research and development production hub called RDM Center, where it will capture atmospheric CO2 to be incorporated into the concrete production process.
Beyond tackling atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions, this partnership will also provide a solution for an ongoing CO2 supply shortage in Japan, an issue that has grown to particularly affect concrete manufacturers, who need high-purity carbon dioxide in their production operations.
AIZAWA’s Fukushima RDM Center is home to various experiments for permanently mineralizing carbon dioxide. By installing a DAC system at this location, Aircapture will provide the concrete manufacturer with a steady CO2 supply, while supporting industry decarbonization goals through sequestration in built materials.
Specifically, the CO2 captured through Aircapture’s DAC tech will be injected into wastewater from manufacturing operations to create calcium carbonate, which will then be reused as raw material for new concrete.
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This project will also demonstrate the compatibility of Aircapture’s DAC systems with existing infrastructure, where containerized technology gets deployed on-site to capture CO2 and provide a valuable carbon feedstock.
For Aircapture, this collaboration adds to its existing network of projects currently in development across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, where the company is focused on advancing commercially viable integration of carbon removal into existing industries.
In the case of the Fukushima RDM Center DAC deployment, Aircapture highlights that the installation is slated for completion by the end of 2025.
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Matt Atwood, founder and CEO of Aircapture, noted that Japan has always been at the forefront of industrial innovation, and AIZAWA shares his company’s vision to transform the industry.
He stated, “This partnership demonstrates how DAC can seamlessly integrate into existing manufacturing processes while creating permanent carbon sequestration. We’re proving that atmospheric CO₂ has become a valuable industrial feedstock.”
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AloJapan.com