DAC² Innovation Platform discusses ways to remove CO₂
Copyright: PtX Lab Lausitz / Jens Jeske
Direct Air Capture is regarded as a key technology – yet regulation, funding and viable business models are holding back its breakthrough. At the DAC² Innovation Platform meeting, experts discussed solutions and visited a DAC plant.
On 16 October, the DAC² Innovation Platform held its first in-person meeting in Berlin. The interactive event brought together members and invited experts to discuss three key areas for the further development of Direct Air Capture (DAC): policy and regulation, funding and financing opportunities, and pathways towards implementation.
Policy and Regulation: A Call for Better Frameworks
In the first session, Florian Mersmann (PtX Lab Lausitz) gave an overview of the Platform's current work on policy barriers and opportunities for further DAC development. Platform members have been invited to comment on a draft discussion paper, which calls, among other things, for:
- better alignment of existing EU and German regulations,
- stronger economic incentives for DAC technologies through the EU ETS, and
- greater recognition of DAC and captured carbon as relevant elements on the path to climate neutrality.
In the interactive discussion, participants also reflected on key challenges and on how the Platform could contribute to advancing DAC implementation in Germany and Europe in 2027 and beyond.
Funding and Financing: Opportunities and Remaining Gaps
Copyright: PtX Lab Lausitz / Jens Jeske
In the second session, Jakob Flechtner and Frank Paul Weber (Competence Centre on Climate Change Mitigation in Energy-Intensive Industries, KEI), Sebastian Giersch (Investitionsbank des Landes Brandenburg, ILB) and Thilo Neu (Brandenburg Kapital) provided perspectives on public funding and private financing opportunities for DAC projects at EU, federal and state level.
The discussion highlighted both existing opportunities and remaining financing gaps, particularly for DAC-to-PtX applications. It also underlined the importance of project maturity, viable business models and suitable funding combinations for future deployment.
The session provided a valuable basis for further work within the DAC² Innovation Platform on how funding and financing instruments can better support DAC projects in the future.
Implementation: Projects and Pathways in the DAC² Network
Copyright: PtX Lab Lausitz / Jens Jeske
The third session focused on ongoing projects and implementation pathways within the DAC² network. It showed how the DAC² Innovation Platform can act as a bridge between different actors and project ideas and help identify opportunities for future joint activities.
Three contributions illustrated the breadth of the network:
- Jessica Rapko (Net Zero Valley Lausitz) presented the opportunities the region offers for clean-technology projects.
- Dr. Rahul Ramesh Nair (German Aerospace Center, DLR) introduced the FOREST project, which aims to assess the long-term, location-specific performance and suitability of DAC technologies.
- Sahand Saadat (Fraunhofer Research Institution for Energy Infrastructures and Geotechnologies IEG) presented the ongoing cooperation with PtX Lab Lausitz on testing and benchmarking DAC adsorbents under different operating conditions, with the aim of supporting the scale-up of DAC processes.
Site Visit: DAC in Practice at Ucaneo
Copyright: PtX Lab Lausitz / Jens Jeske
The event concluded with a visit to Ucaneo's DAC plant in Berlin. With a nominal capacity of 150 tonnes of CO₂ per year, the plant provided participants with a practical view of DAC implementation.
Outlook
Looking ahead, the DAC² Innovation Platform will continue strengthening exchange among its members, engaging with the funding community and supporting future DAC project development.
The next opportunity for exchange will be the Sustainable PtX Conference: From Crisis to Opportunity on 26–27 November 2026, where one session will discuss the role of DAC as a sustainable carbon source for future applications.
If you are interested in DAC technology and would like to stay informed about the Platform's activities, please contact Lorena Tafur or Marvin Wenzel.
Contact
Lorena Tafur Garzon
Expert
+49 173 63 66 927
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Contact
Marvin Wenzel
Expert
+49 152 047 342 80
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