The direct air capture (DAC) industry represents an opportunity to help solve pressing economic challenges in Wyoming while utilizing the state’s all-of-the-above energy mix, including hydrocarbon and renewable resources and extensive energy infrastructure. Last November, SER and WBC released a Request for Expression of Interest to solicit input from key stakeholders on direct air capture activities and initiatives in Wyoming. This process informed the inter-agency collaborative to pursue a Topic Area-1 (TA-1) Feasibility track to address several challenges to enable DAC industry growth, including clean energy, early technology readiness, long-term market uncertainty, and community integration.

“All new industries come with big challenges in the beginning,” said Sarah Fitz-Gerald, WBC Chief Strategy Officer. “By helping us answer the most fundamental questions around DAC industry development, we believe a conservative TA-1 application will help enable us to have a broad and underpinning impact on overall industry growth and help us understand how the DAC industry could benefit Wyoming and the region.”

The proposed project aims to derisk commercial projects in Wyoming in the direct air capture market. By providing important regional information and investing in longer-term projects, SER and WBC’s proposal complements more accelerated projects and DAC activities in the area. 

The full proposal is due to the DOE by March 13, 2023, at which point it will be available to read.