Direct Air Capture Carbon Credits: A Buyer's Guide
Direct air capture (DAC) represents the highest-permanence category of carbon removal available today. Unlike nature-based offsets, DAC credits guarantee geological storage for thousands of years, making them the preferred choice for science-based net-zero targets.
Market Landscape
As of mid-2025, 31 suppliers from 10 countries have sold approximately 2.4 million tonnes of DAC carbon removal credits through 680 orders, according to CDR.fyi. However, the market is highly concentrated: just three companies — 1PointFive, Climeworks, and Heirloom — account for 80% of all DAC credits sold.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total DAC credits contracted | ~2.4M tonnes |
| Credits actually delivered | ~1,186 tonnes (0.05%) |
| Active suppliers | 31 across 10 countries |
| Largest single buyer | Microsoft (833K tonnes) |
Pricing Tiers
DAC credit prices vary significantly based on technology maturity and delivery timeline:
- Premium (delivered credits)
- $600–$1,000+ per tonne — credits from operational facilities with verified removals
- Forward contracts
- $200–$600 per tonne — advance purchase agreements for future delivery, typically 3-7 year horizons
- Blended portfolios
- $100–$250 per tonne — mixed with nature-based removals for lower average cost
Technology Approaches
DAC sellers deploy three primary technology families:
Solid Sorbent Systems
Used by Climeworks and others, these systems pass air over solid chemical filters that bind CO2, then apply heat to release concentrated CO2 for storage. Climeworks' Mammoth plant in Iceland represents the current state of the art.
Liquid Solvent Systems
Pioneered by Carbon Engineering (now integrated into 1PointFive), this approach uses potassium hydroxide solutions to capture CO2, enabling larger-scale facilities like the STRATOS plant in Texas.
Enhanced Mineralization
Heirloom accelerates natural limestone weathering from years to days, offering a potentially lower-cost pathway. Octavia Carbon in Kenya combines solid sorbents with geothermal energy and basalt storage.
What Buyers Should Evaluate
When selecting a DAC credit supplier, corporate sustainability teams should assess:
- Delivery track record — Only 0.05% of contracted credits have been delivered; understand the timeline risk
- Storage permanence — Geological storage (1,000+ years) vs. utilization pathways
- Third-party verification — Look for MRV (measurement, reporting, verification) by independent auditors
- Additionality — Confirm your purchase directly enables new capture capacity
- Energy source — Clean energy inputs ensure net-negative lifecycle emissions