• Saudi Aramco launched a Direct Air Capture (DAC) pilot unit aiming to remove 12 tons of CO₂ per year, developed with Siemens Energy.
• The facility aims to test next-gen CO₂ capture materials and lower costs to accelerate DAC tech in Saudi Arabia’s climate.
• Aramco is exploring DAC scalability to help meet its 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal and support sustainable chemical production.

Aramco 

What happened? Saudi Aramco launched a pilot Direct Air Capture (DAC) unit capable of removing 12 tons of carbon dioxide per year from the atmosphere. 

The pilot plant was developed in collaboration with Siemens Energy. Aramco aims to use the facility as a testing platform for the next generation of CO₂ capture material in Saudi Arabia’s unique climate. Additionally, it seeks to reduce costs in order to accelerate the development of DAC technologies in the region. 

Together, Aramco and Siemens intend to work closely with the aim of scaling the technology and potentially laying the foundations for large scale DAC facilities.

“The test facility launched by Aramco is a key step in our efforts to scale up viable DAC systems, for deployment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond. In addition to helping address emissions, the CO2 extracted through this process can in turn be used to produce more sustainable chemicals and fuels,” said Ali A. Al-Meshari, Aramco Senior Vice President of Technology Oversight and Coordination.

CO₂ Capture

Why does this matter? This project is a step towards Aramco’s commitment to carbon capture. Furthermore, this is indicative of the company’s goal to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas admission across its assets by 2050. 

What’s next? Aramco is exploring options to capture CO₂  both at the point of emissions and directly from the atmosphere. This is through its circular carbon economy approach and the deployment of innovative technology solutions.