This Is CDR is an ongoing series of online events to explore the range of carbon dioxide removal solutions that are currently in development. This week, we hear from Jonte Boysen and Dr. Sahag Voskian of Verdox, a Massachusetts-based startup with a promising electrochemical approach to direct air capture.
Most chemical separations use temperature or pressure, at some cost to efficiency. And since we’re trying to separate carbon dioxide from the air at an absolutely massive scale, efficiency is obviously something to aim for. According to Dr. Voskian, Verdox’s electrical separation can separate CO2 using 70% less energy than competing processes.
Built on an electroswing adsorption (ESA) system co-developed by Dr. Voskian at MIT, Verdox’s process is modular and purely electrochemical, with no moving parts. Essentially a large battery, the system contains two electrodes. One is coated with quinone, an organic compound that binds to CO2 when the cell is charged. When it’s discharged, the CO2 is released as a pure gas product.
Verdox has several field tests planned for this year. If all goes well, they’ll spend the next few years scaling their technology, with the ultimate goal of delivering carbon removal at $40 to $80 per ton. DAC currently costs around $500 to $600 per ton, so $40 to $80 would be a remarkable cut. We’ll be watching their progress with interest. Please check out their presentation above to learn more, and be sure to come back next week for more This Is CDR! You can also watch past episodes of the series on our resources page.
