Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz has inaugurated the Kingdom’s first Direct Air Capture (DAC) testing unit at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) in Riyadh.
The unit, developed by Swiss company Climeworks, is now operational, capturing carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere as part of a live demonstration project. The launch marks a significant milestone in Saudi Arabia’s drive to advance the Circular Carbon Economy (CCE), particularly Direct Air Capture (DAC), highlighting its strategic commitment to climate innovation and scalable emissions reduction technologies.
A key objective of the testing unit is to evaluate its performance under harsh, high temperature conditions, significantly different from Climeworks’ traditional operations in colder climates such as Iceland. This will provide critical insights into the technology’s potential deployment across Saudi Arabia and similar climates worldwide.
Designed for hot, arid environments, the Direct Air Capture unit will evaluate system performance outside the colder climates where it is typically deployed, such as Iceland. The findings are expected to inform future deployment of Direct Air Capture across the Kingdom and similar global regions.
Located within KAPSARC’s energy research hub, the testing unit benefits from the center’s extensive experience in carbon capture, techno economic modeling, and climate policy. KAPSARC’s role in the initiative further emphasizes its position as a leading contributor to national climate strategies and low carbon innovation.
The demonstration project follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between KAPSARC and Climeworks during the Saudi Green Initiative Forum in December 2024. The agreement aims to assess the feasibility of DAC deployment in the Kingdom, aligning with national efforts to reach net zero emissions.
In addition to technical validation, the initiative aims to explore the broader economic potential of DAC in Saudi Arabia. With its abundant renewable energy resources, modern infrastructure, and advantageous geographic location, the Kingdom is well positioned to lead industrial scale Direct Air Capture deployment.
The collaboration seeks to identify cost effective pathways for carbon removal and strengthen the domestic supply chain for critical DAC components. Hosting the DAC testing unit within KAPSARC highlights the center’s role as the Kingdom’s leading energy think tank and its contributions to national climate and carbon management strategies.
Leveraging its extensive expertise in carbon capture, techno economic modeling, and climate policy analysis, KAPSARC serves as an ideal partner for piloting advanced climate technologies under realistic conditions.
Saudi Arabia has announced plans to capture and utilize up to 44 million tonnes of CO₂ annually by 2035 through the development of large scale carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) hubs. These facilities, to be located in both the Eastern and Western regions, aim to consolidate industrial emissions and either store them permanently or convert them into useful products.
Concurrently, the ongoing Direct Air Capture study is evaluating the potential for localizing essential materials and manufacturing processes to support domestic industrial growth. The Kingdom’s strategic investments in DAC and CCUS technologies signal a proactive approach to climate leadership, aimed at achieving emissions reduction targets while fostering economic diversification and technological innovation.
