A Swedish startup based in Västerås, 100 km west from Stockholm, is on a mission to make CO2 more accessible to vertical farmers and greenhouse growers. Direct Carbon's journey advanced last year when the company raised money in a Series C seed round. Ankur Garg, Consultant at Direct Carbon, explains that the company's goal with its small-scale direct air capture (DAC) technology is to provide a practical CO2 solution for growers, helping them transition to green CO2 without the need for large-scale climate change initiatives or expensive carbon removal strategies.
"CO2 has become a critical commodity in indoor agriculture, yet premium green CO2 supplies remain costly and challenging for many growers to afford. Vertical farming, in particular, consumes a lot of energy. We aim to offer a more accessible, sustainable alternative without the high financial burden."
The Direct Carbon team
A compact unit
This year, the company launched its first product: the Wunderpumpe, a compact carbon capturing unit designed for farms up to 1,000 square meters. "The Wunderpumpe is a highly cost-effective solution, ideal for vertical farms, in-store farms, and container farms, and can capture up to 5 kg of CO2 per day," Ankur says. "The concept behind the technology is straightforward: we capture CO2 directly from the atmosphere, then integrate it with the farm's existing indoor airflow. By taking in air from the farm, enriching it with the captured CO2, and distributing it evenly throughout the space, we ensure optimal air quality for plant growth."
Since its release in June 2024, Direct Carbon has sold 11 units, which have been deployed in research facilities, greenhouses, and showcase farms. "We're also partnering with companies in several countries, including Canada, the US, and Germany." The company is currently developing a larger version of the system, which they plan to launch in early 2025. "This upgraded system will have 25 times the capacity of our current model, capable of capturing 100-150 kg of CO2 per day, making it ideal for large-scale commercial vertical farms or small greenhouses," Ankur says.
A need for an affordable solution
Ankur explains that for small vertical farms, the primary option for CO2 supply is purchasing compressed CO2 in large tanks. However, prices vary widely depending on location and frequency of use. "While the Netherlands still benefits from relatively low-cost CO2, this is unlikely to last. In southern European countries, compressed CO2 prices are soaring, with some growers willing to pay up to €25 per kilogram to boost crop yields," he says. "While some growers are drawn to this solution for sustainability reasons, most are motivated by the economic benefits, especially as compressed CO2 becomes increasingly expensive and difficult to source."
The Wunderpumpe
No upfront investment necessary
Because the company aims to make its technology accessible to as many growers as possible, it offers a subscription model with no upfront investment. "This allows growers to adopt our technology at a cost of €499 per month, with no upfront investment and lease duration. If a grower only needs the system for a few months, they can simply return it without hassle. This flexibility has generated strong interest among growers, as they can test our technology through pilot programs, run it on their farms, and decide later whether to extend the subscription or upgrade the system based on their needs. This approach removes the financial burden of pre-investment and encourages experimentation with this technology," Ankur says.
Strong demand
The company is noticing strong demand as it has already oversubscribed on its first batch of Wunderpumpes. "After completing successful pilot tests in Sweden, we are now preparing to ship the first systems to Italy, with plans to deploy 10-12 machines across Europe in the coming weeks and months," Ankur says. These machines will be installed in countries such as Sweden, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Denmark, with one unit heading to Australia. "Additionally, we are set to ship 2-3 machines to North America, although our systems are currently configured for the European market. We will need to make adjustments to accommodate the specific requirements of the US market before full deployment."
For more information:
Direct Carbon
[email protected]
https://direct-carbon.com