A new Marketplace report looks at the high cost of direct air capture technology and the push to bring it down to $100 per ton. Heirloom Carbon Technologies is running a small facility in California that removes 1,000 tons of CO2 per year using a limestone looping process. The company plans a larger project in Louisiana but faces funding uncertainty after the Trump administration rescinded Biden era grants for some DAC projects. Congress has protected two DAC hubs in Louisiana and Texas with bipartisan support. Critics argue the technology is a distraction that lets oil companies keep drilling. Heirloom has refused fossil fuel investment and sells credits to Microsoft, Meta, Shopify, and United Airlines. The piece is worth reading for a grounded look at where DAC costs stand today and what it will take to scale.
