The UK startup behind Britain’s first Direct Air Capture (DAC) plant announces the grant of its first patent as it begins international deployment of its third system, in Alberta, Canada.

Mission Zero Technologies (MZT) announces today that it’s been granted a US patent pertaining to its electrochemical Direct Air Capture technology. Similar success is expected in Canada soon. MZT also has pending applications in Australia, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Japan, and the European Patent Office (EPO).

This US patent protects the use of a promoted solvent in an electrochemical DAC system, which accelerates the absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at least four times faster than conventional solvents, requiring less contact area and less energy. Inversely, most other solvents have trade-offs that negatively impact overall efficiency.

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In addition to underlining the strength of the technology involved, the patent helps provide peace of mind to investors, customers, project developers, and prospective employees.

Reinforcing global momentum

This patent grant comes as MZT begins deployment and delivery of its third commercial and first international project with carbon removal developers Deep Sky in Alberta, Canada. Here, MZT’s solution will be capable of recovering up to 250 tonnes of CO2 each year. Deep Sky will use this system to validate MZT’s technology, alongside other DAC solutions, ahead of plans to eventually scale carbon removal facilities capable of removing between 100,000 and one million tonnes of atmospheric CO2 annually.

MZT’s approach centres around a modular, platform system harnessing existing mature technologies and supply chains, allowing for reliability and scalability – anywhere and for any industry. This approach underscores both the deployability of MZT’s tech and the company’s ability to quickly scale commercial DAC, with the system for Deep Sky progressing from contract to delivery and installation in just 12 months.

Sourcing essential carbon-based materials

MZT’s first three systems showcase the two essential roles DAC plays in our economy. Canada’s Deep Sky plant will remove carbon from the air and store it underground permanently, and the two UK plants — Sheffield’s TERC site and a UK-government-funded project in Norfolk — will create sustainable aviation fuel and carbon-negative construction materials, respectively.

Gaël Gobaille-Shaw, CTO of Mission Zero Technologies, comments: “This US patent is much more than a legal technicality. It’s absolutely key to reinforcing our momentum, from both a technological and legal perspective, as it shows our electrochemical DAC solution is both novel and inventive, and provides protection for our innovative solutions. Ultimately, it’s therefore a sign of confidence in our solution, alongside the tech’s proven commercial viability and our now-established position as a trusted partner in national and international projects.

“We look forward to continuing to prove that DAC works, and that our approach – focusing on versatility, modularity, and commercial readiness — is the most effective solution for customers. We’re proud of the momentum we’ve achieved to date, and there’s plenty more to come”.