The DACA team developed a Direct Atmospheric-carbon Capture Algae system (DACA) that is novel and bio-chemical in nature. DACA uses CO2fixatives to sequester and concentrate carbon dioxide. The concentrated CO2 is transferred to algal bioreactors, enhancing production of biomass and biochemicals used to make bioproducts, including biodiesel, bioplastics, and carbon fiber. Waste from generated in this process is recycled, creating a closed-loop process that regenerates the CO2 fixatives, reducing resource use and energy consumption.
Our DACA system is truly different from other direct air capture (DAC) systems. DACA is a carbon-negative process that is greener and more sustainable than current DAC processes. These other DAC processes are open loop, needing to replenish chemicals to constantly sequester CO2, while our process is self-contained. Most DAC systems store captured CO2 in the ocean, which acidifies our aquatic ecosystems, or store it underground, which acidifies the lithosphere and can have other environmental consequences. Some DAC systems convert the CO2 to a fuel, but this simply releases the CO2 back into the atmosphere. In contrast, our DACA system only releases smaller amounts of CO2 from combustion of the biodiesel we produce. The remaining CO2 we capture is used in products that will not emit CO2 back to the atmosphere - products that support sustainability in a circular and bio- economy.
Further, a DACA system can be distributed and is scalable from the household level to industrial sites. A household system placed on a rooftop could capture 197 tons of CO2 per year, creating carbon credits as well as biofuel. Such systems can be deployed not only on Earth, but also on Lunar and Martian space stations as microbial factories to augment life support systems while producing materials for infrastructure and components (see Biological Life Support System and Sustainable Space Ecosystems). Thus, microbial factories could be the solution to logistical problems on these hard to supply stations, as well as remote locations on earth.
The DACA project is currently supported by the Innovation Booster New Mobility Lab (Swiss Innovation Park Central) and Migrol AG.
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