Despite global pledges to curb carbon pollution, worldwide emissions climbed to a record high last year. Reversing that trend will require not only cutting new emissions but also actively removing carbon already in the atmosphere. The challenge, however, is the cost driven largely by the enormous amount of energy needed. Current projections suggest that capturing one metric ton of CO₂ through direct air capture could require around 2,000 kWh of electricity once the technology is scaled.
A startup called DACLab believes it can already do better. “We have data that I can share with you at 1,500 kilowatt hours per [metric] ton,” said Aditya Bhandari, co-founder and CEO of DACLab, in an interview with TechCrunch.
After working quietly for the past four years, DACLab has officially stepped into the spotlight with $3 million in seed funding. The round was led by early Discord investor Peter Relan, with additional participation from Silver Lake co-founder Dave Roux, WovenEarth Ventures founder Jane Woodward, and others.
Traditional DAC systems typically blow air over a solid sorbent that absorbs carbon dioxide. Once saturated, the sorbent must be regenerated so the captured CO₂ can be extracted and stored. That regeneration step is usually energy-heavy, requiring heat in the range of 80˚C to 120˚C. Liquid sorbents demand even higher temperatures.
While most startups combine the capture and release phases in a single box to keep costs down, DACLab separates them into two different units one for capture and another for release. This design allows the use of lower temperatures. “The heat is relatively low for a solid sorbent, around 70˚C,” Bhandari explained. The split approach is more common in industrial carbon capture and has been adapted by DACLab for use in direct air capture.
The company’s origins trace back to TU Wien in Austria, where a collaboration with Shell produced a carbon capture unit that ran continuously for nearly three years. “This is very unusual, when you compare it with a lot of these other direct capture research groups,” Bhandari noted, adding that it was the largest carbon capture facility in Austria at the time.
Building on that foundation, DACLab has constructed two systems capable of capturing 100 metric tons annually. It is now preparing larger models, including a 1,000-ton unit for Washington State and a 5,000-ton system for Kenya. The smaller unit is priced at under $500,000, according to Bhandari.
Looking forward, the company’s success hinges on further reducing its energy demands. DACLab’s target is less than 1,000 kWh per ton, a milestone that would enable carbon removal at around $250 per ton. “We’re not going to be one of those direct capture companies that promise you that we are going to reach $100 per [metric] ton today,” Bhandari said. “Hopefully we can reboot this much needed industry, because it is filled with a lot of, I would say, empty promises.”
