en.Wedoany.com Reported - The UnionDAC project consortium, composed of UK clean technology companies, has announced plans to construct one of the world's largest direct air capture (DAC) facilities at the Wilton International site in Teesside, marking a significant step for the country in the field of carbon removal.

The consortium consists of low-carbon developer Progressive Energy, along with DAC technology companies Airhive and Mission Zero Technologies. The project plans an annual carbon removal capacity of 60,000 tonnes, to be implemented in two phases: an initial 20,000-tonne capacity is expected to be operational by 2030, with the subsequent 40,000-tonne capacity planned for completion by 2032.

Direct air capture is regarded as a key technology for achieving global climate goals. According to the International Energy Agency, the world may need to remove up to 980 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually by 2050, corresponding to a market worth over $100 billion per year. However, the current global total DAC capacity is less than 100,000 tonnes per year.

The UnionDAC project plans to connect to the carbon capture and storage infrastructure of the Northern Endurance Partnership, transporting captured carbon dioxide for permanent storage beneath the North Sea seabed. The project will further solidify Teesside's position as an industrial decarbonization hub, expanding carbon removal operations on the back of existing investments in carbon capture, hydrogen, and low-carbon power generation to support the UK's net-zero emissions target, while creating new opportunities for carbon removal and industrial applications that rely on captured carbon dioxide.