8 carbon-sucking machines battle Canada’s cold in high-stakes test run

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🗞️ Driving the news: Canadian startup Deep Sky has launched a high-stakes pilot in Innisfail, Alberta, testing eight direct air capture (DAC) machines to determine which can most effectively extract CO₂ in extreme cold
• The carbon is then compressed and stored underground. Backed by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Deep Sky is positioning itself as a global leader in carbon removal amid rising international uncertainty around climate investment

🔭 The context: Carbon removal is an emerging but costly technology, and Deep Sky is not alone in the space
• Fellow Canadian firm Carbon Engineering is developing what may become the world’s largest DAC plant in Texas
• With U.S. climate policy facing retrenchment, Canadian firms are seizing the moment to advance scalable carbon removal infrastructure, even as financial and technological uncertainties remain

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Direct air capture is one of the few technologies capable of removing legacy carbon emissions at scale
• Deep Sky’s cold-weather testing addresses a major gap in current DAC systems, which are often optimized for temperate climates
• Success could unlock broader geographic deployment and help build global carbon removal capacity critical to net-zero pathways

⏭️ What's next: The Innisfail site will begin capturing carbon this summer, with a 20-year testing plan
• Deep Sky is concurrently developing commercial sites in Quebec and Manitoba
• While initial buyers like RBC and Microsoft have committed to 10,000 tonnes of CO₂ removal, broader adoption will depend on reduced costs, stable policy support, and stronger market demand for verified carbon credits

💬 One quote: “Today, I believe Canada has a real shot at leading globally.” – Damien Steel, Advisor and former CEO, Deep Sky

📈 One stat: RBC and Microsoft have agreed to purchase 10,000 tonnes of CO₂ removal over ten years from Deep Sky

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