All terms

Direct Air Capture (DAC)

Technology that captures CO₂ directly from ambient air.

What is Direct Air Capture (DAC)?

Direct Air Capture (DAC) is an engineered technology that chemically captures carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from the ambient air, rather than from a concentrated point source like a power plant. The captured CO₂ can then be either permanently stored underground (DACCS) or utilized.

Why is Direct Air Capture (DAC) important?

DAC is considered a crucial carbon removal technology because it can remove legacy emissions from the atmosphere, addressing CO₂ that has already accumulated. Unlike nature-based solutions, DAC is not land-intensive and can be deployed almost anywhere, offering significant scalability potential to meet net-zero targets.

Related terms

Want to explore this topic further? Browse connected glossary terms below.

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

Capturing CO₂ from point sources and storing it permanently underground.

Removal methods
Carbon removal

Carbon removal refers to processes that actively take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and store it for the long term.

Core definitions
Negative Emissions

Removing more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than are emitted.

Core definitions

Frequently asked questions

How does DAC work?

DAC systems typically use large fans to pull ambient air over chemical sorbents that selectively bind to CO₂. Once saturated, the sorbent is heated to release the concentrated CO₂, which can then be processed.

What is the difference between DACCS and DACCU?

DACCS (Direct Air Capture with Carbon Storage) refers to DAC systems where the captured CO₂ is permanently stored underground. DACCU (Direct Air Capture with Carbon Utilization) refers to DAC systems where the captured CO₂ is used as a resource for products.

What are the main challenges for DAC technology?

The main challenges include the high energy requirements for capture and regeneration of sorbents, the significant capital and operational costs, and the need for scaling up infrastructure for CO₂ transport and storage.