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illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on TechCrunch or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: Microsoft, in partnership with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), is backing an innovative direct air capture (DAC) "bake-off" to accelerate carbon removal technologies
• The tech giant has pre-purchased 10,000 metric tons of carbon over 10 years from Deep Sky, a DAC developer hosting eight startups in Alberta, Canada
• This effort is part of Microsoft’s commitment to becoming carbon negative by 2030, despite its AI-driven emissions surge
🔭 The context: Microsoft's emissions have risen by over 40% since 2020, driven partly by the energy demands of its growing AI business
• While it has invested in renewable energy, certain emissions remain hard to offset
• The Deep Sky project consolidates various DAC approaches in a single facility, aiming to find the most efficient carbon removal methods
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: DAC technologies are crucial for addressing residual emissions and achieving global net-zero goals
• Scaling these solutions can help mitigate the impact of industries that cannot fully decarbonize
• Success in such initiatives could set the stage for broader adoption of effective carbon removal strategies
⏭️ What's next: Deep Sky's facility is expected to be operational by April, with Microsoft and RBC receiving their first carbon credits by June
• The project’s outcomes could identify viable technologies, influencing future investments and carbon removal efforts
💬 One quote: “Deep Sky is hosting a bake-off of sorts, welcoming eight startups to its site in Alberta, Canada, to see which one can do it best,” – Tim De Chant, Ars Technica
📈 One stat: Microsoft’s emissions have increased by over 40% since 2020
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