In June, we reported on Montreal-bon carbon removal project developer Deep Sky completing construction of Alpha, the world’s first carbon removal innovation and commercialization centre, in Alberta in less than one year.
The $40 million project, supported by a grant from Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, began operating in August with an ability to deploy up to 10 different DAC systems side-by-side, allowing developers to test and optimize technologies under identical conditions.
With operation of the Alpha facility well underway, Deep Sky is now eying its next commercial facility.
The next facility will be situated in Southwestern Manitoba, according to a statement from the Canadian climatech.
The region offers an ideal location to build out the carbon removal industry, chief executive officer Alex Petre believes, pointing to geology for storing CO₂ underground safely and effectively.
“Southwestern Manitoba perfectly embodies what the carbon removal industry needs to succeed: ideal geology, clean energy, a skilled workforce, and forward thinking leadership,” said Petre.
Deep Sky is evaluating a number of potential sites capable of hosting a single project to start, according to Petre, while engaging with local stakeholders.
“What Deep Sky is building in Manitoba isn’t just one of the world’s largest carbon removal facilities, it’s the foundation of an industry that will reshape our economy and our planet,” Petre remarked.
Initial construction of the multi-phase facility is slated to begin in 2026.
“Canada has the opportunity to become the carbon removal capital of the world, and capture the jobs and economic opportunity that will come with it,” stated Petre.
Jamie Moses, Manitoba’s Minister of Business, Mining, Trade, and Job Creation, believes the project represents “a new frontier in industrial innovation.”
“Deep Sky’s selection of Manitoba for one of its first commercial carbon removal and storage facilities highlights our province’s commitment to cutting-edge technologies like direct air capture,” the provincial minister commented.
“This project not only reinforces Manitoba’s leadership in reducing global CO₂ emissions,” he continued, “but also contributes to building a modern, advanced economy and places our province among a select few jurisdictions worldwide with the capacity to host such transformative infrastructure.”
Founded in 2022 by Frederic Lalonde and Joost Ouwerkerk, Deep Sky is a tech-agnostic carbon removal project developer that has so far secured more than $100M in funding from investors including Investissement Québec, Brightspark Ventures, Whitecap Venture Partners, OMERS Ventures, BDC Climate Fund, the Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, BMO, the National Bank of Canada, and more.