Climeworks sets new industry standards for Carbon Dioxide Reduction with the delivery to corporate customers of the first CDR services that have been certified by a third party.
Carbon Dioxide Removal is based on rigorous, validated DAC+S methods.
In short:
- Climeworks offers third-party certified CDR services at Orca to its first corporate clients, thereby setting new industry standards for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) via direct air capture & storage (DAC+S). Customers include Stripe, Shopify, and Microsoft. After a successful audit of Climeworks CDR Services, DNV certified Climeworks CDR Services.
- The DAC+S methodology is the basis of the certification, which was co-developed by Climeworks and Carbfix, Climeworks’ CO2 mineralization partner in Iceland, and validated by DNV in 2022. It is the world’s first full-chain DAC+S methodology, and was made publicly available by Climeworks and Carbfix (downloadable here).
- DNV certifies Climeworks CDR Services at Orca to have been performed according to the previously validated methodology.ensuring that the removals were accurately measured and reported. Climeworks’ first CDR Service certifications to corporate customers was a significant milestone. It demonstrates its commitment to high quality CDR.
- Climeworks’ track record in technology deployment Licensed CDR services can now be delivered: Climeworks has put more than 15 projects into operation across Europe, including Orca, the world’s only commercial DAC+S plant. The resulting field experience enabled the creation and implementation of the certification methodology, leading to the world’s first certification of CDR services via DAC+S.
- A significant achievement for the DAC industry is also the delivery of third-party certified CDR service.This will lay the foundation for a high-integrity DAC+S CDR marketplace. DAC must scale dramatically over the next decades. Industry-wide standards are required to build the trust needed for this to happen. Climeworks hopes Climeworks will be an example for customers, peers, and policymakers who are committed towards climate action.
Image illustrating Climeworks’ certification of CDR at Orca based on the full chain DAC+S methodology developed with Carbfix. You can access it here: https://passionfortheplanet.sharepoint.com/:i:/g/EQLMZJ1fVyVEqK8PIqWN5EYBy8hvPSQXcKy_8pVJTVMe8g?e=Glae6k
More information:
Scaling both standards and operations is a dual nature
Climeworks believes this is the best path for the entire CDR market. There is no doubt that high-integrity standards will be catalytic – and ultimately enforced – to build and operate the market successfully on gigaton scale. Climeworks is determined and will prove that it is possible and necessary to scale operations and standards simultaneously, not sequentially.
“On Climeworks’ journey to gigaton scale, providing our first corporate customers with CDR services is an exciting milestone we’re proud to reach with the rigorous validation of a certifying 3rd party. It is a sign that we are committed to doing the right things, but also the right ways. Climeworks isn’t just about scaling our operations quickly. The other part is that this scale-up follows high standards, guaranteeing our customers they can trust our CDR to be of highest quality, meaning additional, highly durable, and safe”, says Christoph Gebald, co-CEO and co-founder of Climeworks.
Trust requires high-integrity standards
“To stay within the limits of the Paris Agreement, the scale-up of global DAC capacities must happen fast. We must continue to build trust in carbon removal, the DAC market and the carbon market to do this. Clear definitions of CDR and industry standards are essential. They also need to establish clear rules for key criteria like durability and additionality. Climeworks strives for the highest integrity. We set and follow stringent standards to earn trust. Our first certified CDR services are a proof of this. We want to lead by example and to be a reliable partner to customers and policymakers”, comments Christoph Beuttler, Chief Climate Policy Officer at Climeworks.
DNV certifies that Climeworks CDR Services provided at Orca used the previously validated methodology. Also, that the removals were properly measured. DNV certifies that the CDR allotted to a customer can not be double-counted, and matches with the available Climeworks CDR Services. This accuracy is confirmed to the customer in two ways: via Climeworks CDR Services Delivery Note as well as DNV’s certificate.
Climeworks will work to maintain the highest integrity of its solutions. We welcome industry experts and the public to contribute to the discussion by reaching out to certification@climeworks.com.
Delivering on our commitment to customers
Climeworks is proud to deliver on its commitment to these corporate climate leaders. Climeworks’ certified CDR services were provided to some of its first large, corporate customers.
“Developing a rigorous methodology and sharing it publicly is a critical step to build trust with carbon removal buyers like Shopify — it gives us confidence that what we’re paying for is actually happening,” said Stacy Kauk, Head of Sustainability at Shopify. “Climeworks is tackling this challenge head-on with its DAC+S methodology, and we are ecstatic to take delivery of our first batch of carbon removals from Orca knowing that we are getting exactly what we expected when we partnered with Climeworks in 2020.”
Zeke Hausfather, Climate Research Lead at Stripecomments: “Today’s announcement of Climeworks’ first verified deliveries is an important step for DAC, and it represents the culmination of years of investment from the Climeworks team.”
“Microsoft is proud to be one of the first corporate customers to receive Climeworks certified carbon dioxide removal services. As both an investor in and customer of Climeworks, we know it is imperative to continue growing the carbon dioxide removal and storage markets for the world, as well as for achieving our company’s own ambitious climate targets: to be carbon negative by 2030 and to remove our historical emissions since the company’s founding by 2050”, says Phillip Goodman, Director, Carbon Removal Portfolio, Microsoft.
