Direct air capture
method of carbon capture from carbon dioxide in air
Direct air capture (DAC) is the use of chemical or physical processes to extract carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the ambient air. If the extracted CO2 is then sequestered in safe long-term storage, the overall process is called direct air carbon capture and sequestration (DACCS), achieving carbon dioxide removal. Systems that engage in such a process are referred to as negative emissions technologies (NET).
DAC is in contrast to carbon capture and storage (CCS), which captures CO2 from point sources, such as a cement factory or a bioenergy plant. After the capture, DAC generates a concentrated stream of CO2 for sequestration or utilization. Carbon dioxide removal is achieved when ambient air makes contact with chemical media, typically an aqueous alkaline solvent or sorbents. These chemical media are subsequently stripped of CO2 through the application of energy (namely heat), resulting in a CO2 stream that can undergo dehydration and compression, while simultaneously regenerating the chemical media for reuse.
DAC has yet to be integrated into emissions trading because, at over US$1000, the cost per ton of carbon dioxide is many times the carbon price. The current high cost of DAC is driven by the scale of deployment and energy factors. In 2025 DAC costs exceeded $1000 per tonne CO2.
The public source identifies “Direct air capture” as method of carbon capture from carbon dioxide in air. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Direct, capture and method.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Direct air capture”, the useful work is to connect “method of carbon capture from carbon dioxide in air” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 20, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q60761394. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1000 and 2025.
A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Direct air capture”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Direct air capture primary sources, Direct air capture archive and Direct research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Direct air capture”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Direct air capture” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.