Aramco Ventures Backs Ucaneo To Build Germany’s Largest Direct Air Capture Facility
Ucaneo, a Berlin-based startup, has garnered the support of Aramco Ventures, Saudi Aramco's investment branch, as part of its mission to establish the biggest direct air capture (DAC) facility in Germany.
This follows a significant seed funding round in September 2024, where Ucaneo raised $7.3 million, although the specific investment amount from Aramco Ventures remains undisclosed. Ucaneo's innovative approach utilises novel solvents and renewable energy-driven electrochemistry to efficiently remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, aiming to make a substantial impact on global decarbonization efforts.
Florian Tiller, co-founder and CEO of Ucaneo, expressed enthusiasm over Aramco Ventures joining their roster of investors. He highlighted the importance of partnering with investors who are not only supportive of Ucaneo’s expansion but also actively engaged in the energy transition. Tiller emphasised the critical role of scalable and strong partnerships in advancing technologies that could lead the world towards a genuine net-zero economy.
Ucaneo's cutting-edge technology draws inspiration from natural processes, specifically how lungs manage CO₂. The system employs electricity and a biomimetic solvent to extract CO₂ from the air at ambient temperatures while regenerating continuously. This process produces pure CO₂ that can be used across various industries.
The flexibility of Ucaneo's technology to integrate with renewable energy sources like solar and wind power offers a cost-effective solution for CO₂ removal, particularly in areas where electricity prices are high or in remote locations powered by renewables.
Aramco Ventures' investment in Ucaneo not only accelerates the construction of Germany's largest DAC demonstration plant, planned for the first half of 2026, but also marks a significant step towards potential joint commercial plant deployments.
The partnership aims to advance Ucaneo's technology towards widespread adoption, with the pilot project already capturing 30-50 tons of CO₂ annually, making it one of the most substantial industrial DAC pilots in Germany.
The operational data from Ucaneo's industrial pilot, one of Germany's most ambitious DAC projects, will play a crucial role in refining the technology for real-world application. This pilot project is pivotal in developing a DAC demonstration plant that is projected to significantly lower DAC costs to below €300 per ton of CO₂, thereby positioning Ucaneo as a leader in cost-competitive DAC solutions worldwide.
Bruce Niven, Executive Managing Director at Aramco Ventures, praised Ucaneo's innovative approach to DAC, emphasizing its potential to play a vital role in global decarbonization strategies. Niven expressed enthusiasm about partnering with Ucaneo to push this technology towards broader application, highlighting the importance of achieving DAC at a competitive cost.
Ucaneo's efforts in advancing DAC technology not only enhance Berlin and Germany's reputation as hubs for climate technology innovation but also offer a scalable and economically viable method for carbon dioxide removal.
The initiative reinforces Aramco's commitment to investing in carbon capture and emission reduction technologies, aligning with its broader strategy to facilitate the energy transition. The anticipated demonstration plant is set to be a significant milestone in demonstrating the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of Ucaneo's DAC technology at scale, paving the way for a more sustainable future.
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