Highlights

• Origen commissions the world’s first large-scale zero-emission kiln, capable of supporting 2,000 tonnes of CO₂ removal annually.
• Limestone-based Direct Air Capture uses lime to capture CO₂ from the air, creating a closed-loop cycle for carbon removal.
• The fuel-flexible kiln design avoids dependence on renewable electricity, lowering costs and helping in faster global deployment.

Origen, a provider of scalable limestone-based direct air capture technology, has succeeded in removing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere using limestone, a material that is widely available and inexpensive.

This process, called limestone-based Direct Air Capture (DAC), is designed to be scalable and durable, meaning it can be expanded for larger use and keep CO₂ locked away safely.

This method can also contribute to industrial decarbonisation, since lime is commonly used in industries, including construction and steelmaking.

At the heart of this system is the kiln, a giant oven that transforms limestone into lime. Incidentally, Origen recently commissioned a zero-emission kiln at the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) in North Dakota.

This kiln is seven stories tall and is capable of removing over 2,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. It is the first large-scale kiln in the world designed specifically for carbon removal without producing extra emissions.

Read More: What is Carbon Capture and Storage?

The DAC cycle begins in the kiln, where CO₂ naturally stored in limestone is released in a controlled way, leaving behind lime. This lime is then processed to make it more effective at capturing CO₂ from the air.

Once prepared, the lime reacts with CO₂ in the atmosphere through Origen’s air contactor system, turning back into limestone. This limestone can then be reused in the kiln and create a closed loop for capturing carbon.

Building such a kiln is very challenging because it must heat limestone at high efficiency, produce highly reactive lime, release a pure CO₂ stream for permanent storage, and run on an energy system that is affordable and scalable.

Origen’s oxy-fuel flash calciner design achieves these goals. Unlike many DAC systems that depend heavily on renewable electricity, Origen’s kiln is fuel-flexible. It can use natural gas, renewable natural gas (RNG), biogas, or hydrogen while still capturing emissions, making the entire process carbon negative. This avoids competition for limited renewable power and allows the technology to expand faster.

The company is already working with its engineering partner Hatch on the first commercial project at the Pelican DAC Hub in Louisiana, in partnership with Shell and Mitsubishi. By commissioning this kiln, Origen has de-risked one of the most complex steps in its process and facilitated large-scale carbon removal.

Also Read: Korean University’s DAC Tech Captures 95% High-Purity CO₂ Using Just 3V

Dr. Christine Bertrand, who has over 30 years of experience in thermal systems, played a leading role in designing the kiln. Her work in computational modelling and experimental testing has made it possible to build a kiln that produces zero-carbon lime.

This innovation brings the vision of large-scale atmospheric CO₂ removal much closer to reality.

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Source: Origen