In the heart of Kenya’s Rift Valley, a pioneering start‑up is deploying cutting‑edge technology to capture carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere, then converting those captured emissions into tradable carbon credits. Octavia Carbon’s pilots are designed to leverage the nation’s abundant geothermal steam and unique basalt geology, aiming to demonstrate that carbon removal can be both cost‑effective and scalable in the Global South. By pioneering a “capture‑from‑thin‑air” approach, the company seeks to carve out a new climate‑technology sector in East Africa—and redefine how the world approaches net‑zero targets.

Geothermal‑Powered Carbon Capture Plants Tackle Emissions

Octavia Carbon’s flagship facility—nicknamed “Project Hummingbird”—sits adjacent to steam vents that feed Kenya’s extensive geothermal power plants. Using a process known as direct air capture (DAC), the start‑up draws ambient air across chemical sorbent filters housed in metallic modules. When the filters become saturated with CO₂, they are sealed in a low‑pressure chamber and heated to around 100°C using waste heat from nearby turbines. Under vacuum conditions, the gas is released, captured, and compressed for storage.

The Rift Valley’s vast basalt formations provide an ideal sink. Once liquefied, the captured CO₂ is injected into porous volcanic rock, where it reacts mineralogically, converting into stable carbonates over time. This permanent geological storage model—similar to projects in Iceland—ensures that each ton of captured CO₂ remains sequestered indefinitely. To date, Octavia’s prototypes have demonstrated the capacity to remove roughly 10 tons of CO₂ per machine each year, the equivalent of planting 1,000 mature trees.

By harnessing geothermal steam rather than relying on electricity from fossil‑fuel grids, Octavia slashes the energy cost of capture compared with DAC operations in high‑income countries. The company estimates its current cost per ton of CO₂ removed at around $680 but aims to reduce this figure to below $100 by scaling its modular design and optimizing its chemical sorbents. With the Kenyan grid already 90% renewable—and geothermal accounting for nearly half of national power generation—Octavia benefits from a clean energy supply that keeps the capture process carbon‑negative.

Financing, Partnerships, and Scaling Ambitions

Since its founding in 2022, Octavia Carbon has attracted significant investor interest. A $3.9 million seed round closed in late 2024, followed by a $5 million extension round earmarked for building its first commercial‑scale plant. The company has pre‑sold roughly 2,000 tons of future CO₂ removal capacity, securing over $1 million in advance payments from international buyers seeking high‑integrity offsets.

To validate and verify its removal volumes, Octavia has established a partnership with Carbonfuture, a digital monitoring, reporting and verification (dMRV) provider. Real‑time sensors and blockchain‑enabled ledgers track each step of the capture‑to‑storage chain, ensuring that carbon credits issued are backed by transparent, auditable data. Octavia is also collaborating with U.S.‑based Cella Mineral Storage to refine its injection protocols and gain accreditation under emerging global carbon‑credit standards.

The start‑up’s immediate goal is a 1,000‑ton‑per‑year commercial plant by mid‑2025, scaling from the current handful of prototypes to dozens of modules. Beyond Kenya, Octavia envisions exporting its low‑cost DAC units to other equatorial regions with geothermal potential—such as Indonesia and the Philippines—positioning itself as an original‑equipment manufacturer for carbon‑removal hardware in the Global South. The company has begun exploratory talks with national governments in East Africa for larger regional deployments, which could see cumulative capture volumes climb into the tens of thousands of tons annually within five years.

Challenges and Future Outlook in Carbon Removal

Despite its promise, Octavia faces a host of obstacles common to the young DAC industry. Critics argue that carbon capture at scale risks serving as a “greenwashing” tool for heavy emitters, delaying deeper emissions cuts in favor of offset purchases. To counter such concerns, the start‑up emphasizes its focus on transparency and permanence, and underscores that DAC is intended to complement—not replace—aggressive decarbonization across power generation, transport and industry.

Operationally, the high upfront capital expenditure for DAC facilities—currently estimated at $3,000 to $5,000 per ton of annual capacity—remains a deterrent. Even with falling costs driven by modular manufacturing and sorbent improvements, achieving economies of scale will require multiple plants and sustained buyer demand. Octavia’s leadership is banking on growing compliance and voluntary carbon markets, as corporate net‑zero commitments and potential future regulations oblige companies to procure high‑quality removal credits.

Regulatory frameworks in Kenya and across Africa are also evolving. While the government has shown support—granting early site permits and offering tax incentives for clean‑energy technologies—detailed carbon‑credit legislation is still in draft form. Octavia is working with policy makers to establish clear MRV guidelines, credit registries and verification protocols that align with international standards, ensuring that African‑issued credits can be traded on global exchanges without discount.

Climate variability poses another uncertainty. Geothermal reservoirs can fluctuate in steam output, especially if overheating or mineral scaling reduces well productivity. Octavia’s engineers monitor reservoir pressure and chemistry to adjust operations, but long‑term resource management will require ongoing coordination with national energy utilities. Likewise, extreme weather events—such as prolonged droughts—could affect site access and water availability for cooling, underscoring the need for resilient infrastructure.

Emerging Role of the Global South in Carbon Removal

Octavia Carbon’s venture marks a broader shift in the geography of climate innovation. Historically, DAC development has been centered in North America and Europe, where high energy costs and regulatory support have driven pilot projects. Octavia’s model leverages the Global South’s distinct advantages—renewable energy abundance, favorable geology and growing technical talent pools—to establish an alternative, cost‑effective carbon‑removal hub.

Kenya’s investment in universal education and science‑technology training has yielded a cadre of engineers and researchers capable of adapting complex processes to local contexts. Octavia’s team of 53 employees includes chemical engineers, geologists, data scientists and field technicians, many of whom honed their skills on Nairobi’s tech start‑up scene and local research institutes. The start‑up has forged ties with Kenyan universities to support R&D in advanced sorbent materials and to develop degree programs focused on carbon‑capture engineering.

International development agencies and climate finance bodies are taking notice. Octavia has secured grant funding from multilateral institutions to de‑risk its early‑stage operations and to underwrite pilot expansions in underserved regions. Such support underscores a growing recognition that carbon removal technologies must be inclusive, harnessing local knowledge and promoting regional economic development rather than exporting solutions conceived abroad.

From Pilot to Planet‑Scale Impact

Octavia Carbon stands at the vanguard of a nascent industry poised to play a crucial role in achieving global climate targets. By demonstrating that direct air capture can function economically in Kenya—while generating high‑integrity carbon credits for international markets—the company is laying groundwork for large‑scale deployments across equatorial geographies.

If Octavia meets its ambitious timeline, commissioning its first 1,000‑ton plant next year, it will translate speculative promise into concrete climate action. Success could unlock a new era in which the Global South not only suffers the impacts of climate change but also spearheads solutions—capturing carbon from thin air, storing it in ancient rock formations, and channeling revenue back into local economies. As the world confronts the daunting task of removing billions of tons of CO₂ annually, Octavia’s geothermal‑powered modules offer a blueprint for scalable, sustainable carbon removal—and a reminder that innovation knows no geographic bounds.

(Adapted from Reuters.com)

Categories: Economy & Finance, Entrepreneurship, Strategy, Sustainability