Kenyan Startup Octavia Captures CO2 from Air Using Geothermal Steam

Direct Air Capture Technology in Kenya

• 🇰🇪 In central Kenya, engineers are utilizing geothermal steam to extract carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere.
• ⚙️ The Octavia carbon facility employs machines that capture approximately 10 metric tons of CO2 per year each, comparable to the absorption of a thousand trees.
• 💡 Site manager Anthony Oo explains the capture process involves passing air through a filter that selectively captures CO2, followed by a release phase using vacuum and heat.

Geothermal Advantage and Storage Potential

• ⚡ Kenya's location along the Great Rift Valley provides abundant geothermal energy, with nearly half the country's electricity sourced from these reserves.
• 🌍 The region's volcanic rock formations offer suitable underground sites for storing captured carbon.

Global Challenge and Scalability

• 📈 A University of Oxford study highlights the immense global challenge, estimating that 7 to 9 billion tons of CO2 must be removed annually by mid-century to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C.
• 🚀 Octavia's machines are designed with a minimal land footprint, positioning them as a scalable solution for climate change mitigation.
• 💰 Co-founder Martin Fryimler acknowledges current efforts are small but emphasizes the need to demonstrate that direct air capture technology can become more cost-effective through scaling and deployment.
• 🎯 The ultimate goal is to provide affordable net-zero solutions without drastic lifestyle changes, offering hope in the fight against climate change.

Future Underground Injection Plans

• 🕳️ Octavia plans to partner with US-based Cellar Mineral Storage for underground CO2 injection starting next year.
• 🇮🇸 This initiative could make Kenya the second country, after Iceland, to implement underground storage of air-captured carbon.