Deep Sky Alpha (DS Alpha)’ inaugural facility, the first of its kind globally, is designed to accelerate the commercialization of direct air capture (DAC) technologies. Serving as both a testing platform and a pioneering purchaser of these technologies, the DS Alpha facility will be a dedicated commercialization center focused on rigorous data collection, benchmarking, validation, and demonstration of top-tier engineered carbon dioxide removal (CDR) systems.
Deep Sky’s science team has evaluated over 100 potential technology partners, selecting eight capable of achieving megaton-scale carbon removal. This project focuses on Phase 1 of DS Alpha, which involves deploying four DAC units. Cumulatively, they are expected to remove ~1,500 tonnes of CO2 per year. The goals of the project are to position Alberta as one of the few jurisdictions in the world with an active direct air capture facility that sequesters CO2 underground, as well as sell carbon credits to customers like Microsoft and RBC, verified by carbon credit registries like Puro and Isometric.
The project will support Alberta’s economy, creating 80 jobs during the construction phase and sustaining up to 15 long-term operational positions. DS Alpha will serve as a critical step in scaling various carbon removal technologies, providing Alberta with a first-mover advantage in the growing voluntary carbon market. The project will also de-risk several new innovative direct air capture technology providers and assess their viability for Alberta.