Graphyte, a US-based startup company that uses carbon casting techniques to turn biomass into carbon blocks, officially has their first customer in American Airlines.
American Airlines is the first client of carbon removal firm Graphyte. With the help of Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the US-based company Graphyte transforms biomass that has captured carbon dioxide through photosynthesis into carbon blocks through a process known as carbon casting. These blocks are then buried underground for storage.
Because the biomass 'bricks' are covered in an environmentally acceptable polymer, the carbon dioxide is unable to be emitted during their breakdown. As with earlier techniques for extracting carbon, this permanently removes CO2 from the environment.
With the use of carbon casting technology and an investment from American Airlines, 10,000 tonnes of carbon will be permanently eliminated by early 2025.
Graphyte's CEO, Barclay Rogers, said that the agreement is historic for both the company and American Airlines. It illustrates the rising need for high-quality, reasonably priced carbon removal credits that are both scalable and cheap, as well as the potential of carbon casting technology to have a big immediate impact on the battle against climate change.
Most airlines have focused on reducing emissions from their regular operations, including actions like purchasing fuel-efficient aircraft and using sustainable, low-carbon aviation fuel. To eliminate any remaining emissions, American Airlines has expanded the scope of its Graphyte partnership to include carbon removal.
