Over the past decade, direct air capture—the process of extracting carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere—has evolved significantly, shifting from prohibitively expensive to merely costly. Major corporations with ambitious climate goals, like Microsoft, have been willing to absorb these high costs to reduce their emissions footprint. Still, for smaller companies, current prices remain a barrier.
RepAir Carbon, an innovative startup, is on the verge of changing this equation by introducing a carbon removal method inspired by battery technology. The firm claims its novel approach could slash costs to between $70 and $80 per metric ton of CO2—dramatically lower than the prevailing estimates of around $600 per metric ton for traditional systems.
Recently, RepAir secured an extended $15 million Series A investment round led by Exantia Capital and Taranis Carbon Ventures, with additional support from Ormat Technologies, Repsol, and a $3 million grant from the Israeli Innovation Authority.
What differentiates RepAir from other carbon capture technologies is its reliance on electricity rather than solvents. Traditional methods use heat-intensive solvents to separate captured CO2, requiring significant energy to regenerate the capture solution. Conversely, RepAir’s system employs electricity, creating a chemical reaction akin to that in battery cells.
RepAir’s technology consists of reaction chambers fitted with two electrodes separated by a membrane. When air or exhaust gas enters, it encounters a nickel-based electrode that attracts CO2 molecules, converting them into negatively charged carbonate and bicarbonate ions. These ions pass through the membrane, attracted by the positively charged secondary electrode, where they revert to CO2 gas, ready to be extracted and stored. This reversible process operates without interrupting the system—unlike conventional technologies that pause for regeneration—dramatically enhancing efficiency.
“Our devices regenerate while actively capturing carbon,” stated CEO and co-founder Amir Shiner.
The modular design features stacks of electrode-and-separator combinations, and engineers can fine-tune electrical input to optimize performance. RepAir’s system is suitable not only for atmospheric carbon capture but also for handling emissions from sources like power plant exhausts.
The company is currently exploring partnerships, notably targeting the integration of its technology with gas turbines at data centers, aiming to fully neutralize their carbon emissions. Although discussions are still in early stages, industry enthusiasm for this application appears strong, Shiner added.
