The EU has included carbon removal and CO2 utilization as priority areas in the 2027 EIC Accelerator Challenges for the first time. EISMEA has set aside about 50 million euros for selected solutions, with eligible pathways including DACCS, BioCCS, biochar, enhanced rock weathering, direct ocean capture, alkalinity enhancement, CO2 mineralization, carbon capture and utilization, and MRV tools. Plain fossil CO2 storage and hydrogen production are excluded from this call. Selected projects will also get access to the proposed EU CRCF Buyers' Club, which is meant to connect developers with private buyers of certified carbon removal units. That could matter as much as the grant itself, since future revenue from CDR sales is still a weak point for many early-stage projects. The call signals that the EU is starting to treat removals and utilization as serious industrial priorities, not just climate targets.
