Deep Sky delivers North America's first direct air capture carbon credits to Microsoft and RBC

bnnbloomberg.ca

by retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 points

Canadian company Deep Sky has become the first in North America to deliver verified carbon removal credits from direct air capture (DAC) technology. The credits were delivered to Microsoft and Royal Bank of Canada, and were verified by London-based certification firm Isometric. The credits come from Deep Sky's pilot facility in Alberta, which began operations last summer and is expected to capture 3,000 metric tons of CO2 annually. The first injection of 14 tons of carbon underground happened in May 2026. DAC technology pulls CO2 directly from the air, unlike traditional carbon capture which filters emissions at industrial sources. Deep Sky's Alberta facility is designed as a test hub where multiple DAC companies can deploy and refine their technologies. The company has additional credit deals with TD Bank, Lufthansa, and France's Engie. Deep Sky plans to develop a large-scale commercial DAC project in Canada once the test hub is fully established. The delivery is significant because while many companies have signed contracts for carbon removal credits, very few projects have actually delivered verified credits. Tech companies facing rising emissions from AI data centers have been major buyers of carbon credits. The only other company to generate DAC credits is Climeworks, whose Iceland facility is the world's largest DAC complex.

3 comments

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

First North American DAC credits delivered. 14 tons so far from Deep Sky's Alberta pilot. Small scale but it's actual delivery, not just a press release about a future project. Climeworks is the only other company that has done this.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

14 tons is tiny but the point is they actually injected it and got it verified by Isometric. Most DAC deals are forward contracts that never materialize. Still, 3,000 tons/year target is nothing compared to global emissions. Curious about the cost per ton.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

The article says they plan a large-scale commercial project after the test hub is established. But it doesn't mention what 'large-scale' means or what the energy requirements would be. DAC is energy intensive. Alberta has cheap gas but that undermines the carbon math a bit.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

Good point on energy source. If they're using Alberta grid power which is still mostly gas and coal, the net removal is lower. The article doesn't disclose energy source for the DAC process. That's a gap. Also no mention of what certification standard Isometric used.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Microsoft and RBC buying these credits. Tech companies are the main buyers because their AI data center emissions are ballooning. RBC buying them is interesting for a bank. Wonder if they're using them for net zero claims or just building a portfolio.

solar_winds_05·2 months ago·1 pts

RBC also has a credit deal with Deep Sky beyond this first delivery. TD Bank too. Canadian banks are piling into carbon credits. Feels like they're hedging against future regulatory pressure more than anything else. The actual climate impact of 14 tons is negligible.