Ucaneo opens Germany’s largest direct air capture plant in Berlin

Ucaneo has opened Germany’s largest direct air capture facility in Berlin-Marzahn, a 150-tonne-a-year plant that pulls CO2 from ambient air and can permanently store part of it underground. The launch marks a shift from pilot work to industrial-scale carbon infrastructure and includes a new public exhibit on the emerging carbon economy.

Why it matters: - Ucaneo’s Berlin plant is a concrete step toward a new carbon supply chain that is not tied to fossil fuels. - The facility can support both permanent CO2 removal and industrial uses such as sustainable aviation fuel, chemicals, materials and biobased production. - The project gives Germany its first verified direct air capture project paired with geologic storage. - Ucaneo becomes the first company in Germany and the fifth worldwide to permanently store atmospheric CO2 captured through direct air capture.

What happened: - Ucaneo opened Germany’s largest direct air capture facility in Berlin-Marzahn on July 3, 2026. - The industrial plant removes 150 tons of CO2 a year directly from ambient air. - The captured CO2 is produced at more than 99.9% purity. - The site is one of the largest electrochemical direct air capture plants in the world. - A portion of the captured CO2 will be permanently stored underground. - Ucaneo also opened the “CO2 Store of the Future,” an exhibit and experience space in Berlin.

The details: - The Berlin-Marzahn site marks Ucaneo’s move from pilot operations to industrial deployment. - The process is fully electric and can run with renewable energy. - Ucaneo says the electrochemical approach avoids the thermal regeneration used in conventional DAC systems. - The modular setup is designed to scale toward larger commercial plants. - The captured CO2 can be used as a feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel, e-methanol, chemicals, materials and consumer products. - The “CO2 Store of the Future” is intended for policymakers, industry, investors and the public. - The exhibit explains how CO2 from air can become a resource for fuels, chemicals, materials and permanent storage.

Between the lines: - Berlin is being positioned as a showcase for Germany’s industrial and climate-tech future. - The project reflects a broader bet that carbon will remain essential in the economy, but its source will have to shift away from fossil inputs. - Ucaneo is using the plant as a blueprint for future commercial carbon infrastructure. - A follow-on plant with roughly 10 times the capacity is already in development, with construction planned for 2027.

What’s next: - Ucaneo plans to build a larger follow-on facility with about 10 times the current capacity. - Construction on that next plant is scheduled to begin in 2027. - The company aims to expand its carbon infrastructure model beyond Berlin and into broader industrial use. - The Berlin site will serve as a reference point for future commercial deployments.

The bottom line: - Ucaneo is trying to turn direct air capture from a climate demonstration into industrial infrastructure, with Berlin as the first proof point.