History Made: Deep Sky Alpha Begins Operations with North America’s First CO₂ Storage via Direct Air Capture

Deep Sky, Canada’s leading carbon removal project developer, has officially launched operations at Deep Sky Alpha, North America’s first facility to permanently store CO₂ captured directly from the atmosphere. Located in Innisfail, Alberta, the project demonstrates how rapid deployment of carbon removal infrastructure can accelerate global decarbonization.

A Defining Climate Milestone

In just 12 months, Deep Sky transformed five acres of industrial land into a fully operational carbon removal hub. The Alpha facility integrates multiple Direct Air Capture (DAC) technologies, positioning Canada at the forefront of scalable climate action. CEO Alex Petre emphasized that this achievement is proof of concept for high-quality, durable carbon removal—a necessity for industries targeting net-zero emissions.

Inside Deep Sky Alpha

The facility is powered entirely by solar energy and will capture up to 3,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually, which will be permanently stored in Alberta’s saline aquifers. The project currently hosts DAC units from global innovators including Airhive (UK), Mission Zero Technologies (UK), and Skyrenu (Canada), with capacity to expand to 10 units.

• Construction impact: Over 110 jobs created
• Ongoing employment: ~15 full-time operators
• Monitoring: Proprietary software will track capture and storage progress in real-time

Economic Impact and Regional Significance

Alberta’s abundant geological storage and supportive regulatory framework make it a natural hub for carbon capture and storage (CCS). Provincial Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz praised Deep Sky’s investment, highlighting Alberta’s skilled workforce and strong innovation ecosystem. The project also strengthens the region’s position as a leader in clean energy infrastructure.

Scaling for Global Impact

Deep Sky Alpha is the first step in a global carbon removal effort. With $130M in funding and a recent $40M grant from Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, Deep Sky is already developing larger projects across Alberta and Quebec. Its carbon removal credits are in high demand, with Microsoft and Royal Bank of Canada among early buyers. While Alpha’s credits are sold out, future corporate buyers can reserve allocations from upcoming projects.