Deep Sky, the Canadian carbon removal project developer, has completed construction of Deep Sky Alpha, the world’s first carbon removal innovation and commercialization centre. Built in less than 12 months, the milestone underscores both the urgency and the rapid progress of industrial-scale climate solutions.
Located in Innisfail, Alberta, Deep Sky Alpha progressed from land lease signing to mechanical completion in under a year—a timeline CEO Alex Petre called “unprecedented” for carbon removal infrastructure.
“Today marks a pivotal moment for the carbon removal industry,” Petre said in a statement. “Completing construction of Deep Sky Alpha in under a year proves that we can build critical climate infrastructure at the pace and scale required by the climate crisis.”
The $40 million project, supported by a grant from Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, features multiple direct air capture (DAC) technologies that will be commissioned this summer. The facility aims to remove its first tonnes of CO2 by year’s end and generate verified carbon removal credits for early buyers including Microsoft, RBC, and Rubicon Carbon.
Deep Sky Alpha is designed to deploy up to 10 different DAC systems side by side—allowing developers to test and optimize technologies under identical conditions. The site will capture 3,000 tonnes of CO2 annually and is expected to remove 30,000 tonnes over its initial decade of operation.
Mechanical completion was reached with the installation of all major equipment and systems, including the process building, CO2 storage infrastructure, and compressed air and water distribution. Engineering and design were led by BBA, an engineering firm known for its work on energy transition projects.
The construction phase created more than 110 jobs in the region. Ongoing operations will employ approximately 15 full-time staff.
Deep Sky Alpha’s location offers access to renewable electricity and proximity to permanent geological storage reservoirs, positioning Alberta as a potential hub for carbon removal innovation.
Commissioning of individual DAC units is now underway, with commercial operations scheduled to begin this summer.