How RepAir's Intel-inspired strategy could revolutionise carbon capture
Israeli startup aims to slash direct air capture costs to $70 per tonne using novel materials and processes.
An Israeli startup is betting that rethinking materials and processes can dramatically reduce the cost of direct air capture (DAC) technology. It aspires to become the industry standard supplier for carbon removal projects globally.
RepAir Carbon Capture, co-founded by Yehuda Borenstein, has developed an electrochemical process that claims to capture carbon dioxide from the air using just one-quarter of the energy required by current technologies.
In an interview with Sustainability in the Air, Borenstein stated that the company aims to reduce costs to around $70 per tonne of captured CO2 – a fraction of today's costs ranging from $300 to $500 per tonne.
The Intel strategy
"We want to be the Intel inside of every carbon capture project," says Borenstein. "We don't necessarily need to develop all projects ourselves. We want to be the supplier of carbon capture equipment for any project out there."
Just as Intel's processors became the standard that powered the personal computer revolution, RepAir aims to position its technology as the core component driving the carbon capture industry.
This approach could standardise and streamline the deployment of carbon capture technology across different projects and applications, potentially accelerating industry-wide adoption while reducing costs through economies of scale.
"We want to sell to everyone in the industry," says Borenstein. "Even to companies that might be seen as competitors today. Because ultimately, this isn't about competition – it's about scaling up carbon removal as quickly and efficiently as possible."
Rethinking materials and processes
The company's ambitious cost targets stem from two key innovations.
First, its electrochemical process operates at room temperature and requires approximately 600 kilowatt hours per tonne of CO2 captured, compared to 2-2.5 megawatt hours needed by competitors.
Second, RepAir has replaced expensive metal components with recycled polypropylene – the same plastic used in milk bottles and toys – reducing capital costs significantly.
"About 95% of our device is made from polypropylene," explains Borenstein. "At gigatonne scale, we would need around 10 million metric tonnes of recycled polypropylene annually – helping support a circular economy while dramatically reducing costs."
Challenging scale misconceptions
DAC sceptics point to the vast amounts of air that must be processed to capture meaningful quantities of CO2, given that the atmospheric concentration is just 420 parts per million. However, Borenstein argues these concerns are overblown.
"To capture one tonne of CO2 annually, you need to process about 2.99 million cubic metres of air," he says. "A standard standing fan moving 2,000 cubic feet per minute could theoretically process enough air in a year to capture 10 tonnes of CO2. The volume isn't as overwhelming as it's sometimes made out to be."
Scaling up: projects and partnerships
RepAir has already begun forming strategic partnerships to scale its technology. The company recently announced Continental Europe's first onshore Direct Air Capture and Storage project with C-Questra in France, targeting the removal of 100,000 tonnes of CO2 annually by 2030. The project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of co-locating capture and storage facilities while creating new green jobs in the region.
Looking ahead, RepAir has set an ambitious target of reaching 10 million tonnes of carbon capture capacity by 2035. Borenstein says that the company's modular approach to scaling – similar to how Tesla builds battery packs from thousands of smaller cells – could help achieve this goal while maintaining consistent performance.
While some industry observers remain sceptical about the potential for dramatic cost reductions in direct air capture, Borenstein emphasises the importance of maintaining perspective.
"Technology evolves, and what seems impossible today becomes routine tomorrow. The key is to keep innovating and improving, not assuming current limitations are permanent."
Borenstein told us that the technology has also shown promise for industrial applications. RepAir has developed a hybrid solution combining direct air capture with point source emissions from cement production, potentially allowing cement manufacturers to decarbonise with only a 10% cost increase. This hybrid approach demonstrates the versatility of RepAir's technology beyond aviation applications.
Challenges and future outlook
Despite the promising developments, the company must prove it can maintain performance while scaling up production and tapping into sufficient renewable energy to power large-scale deployment. Additionally, the carbon storage infrastructure needed to sequester captured CO2 is still in the early stages of development in many regions.
However, Borenstein remains confident in RepAir's approach.
"We need to keep an open mind and look at all options," he says. "But we believe our technology can make a real impact at the gigatonne scale."
For an industry that many view as crucial to meeting global climate goals, RepAir's innovations could help accelerate the deployment of carbon capture technology. If successful, the company's vision of becoming the industry's standard technology supplier could be key in scaling carbon removal to the levels needed to address climate change – while offering airlines another path to net zero emissions.
Our latest report explores the potential of carbon dioxide removal (CDR), the challenges it faces, and why it could be the breakthrough aviation needs. Download the full report for free here.