IEA: Carbon Removal Now Captures One-Third of Energy Venture Capital

The International Energy Agency’s State of Energy Innovation 2026 report delivers a milestone data point: carbon dioxide removal, alongside nuclear and next-gen geothermal, now accounts for approximately one-third of all energy venture capital investment — up from less than 5% in the late 2010s. Nearly 400 companies have been founded in these emerging sectors over the past decade, with over 60% launched after 2020.

The report also highlights the “missing middle” financing gap — projects too costly for VC but too risky for traditional lenders — as the key barrier to commercial scale-up. Denmark’s $4.2 billion CCS fund is cited as a policy model, though a recent tender attracted only two bids from ten applicants. (Carbon Herald · IEA Report)

Boeing Signs 40,000+ Tonne CDR Deal with Carbonfuture

Boeing has signed one of aviation’s largest durable carbon removal procurements — at least 40,000 tonnes of CDR credits through a diversified portfolio managed by Carbonfuture. The credits come from four biochar projects in the Global South and will be used to address Boeing’s residual Scope 3 emissions from business travel. Carbonfuture’s digital Trust Infrastructure provides full tracking and legal title management. (Carbon Herald)

Canada Launches $100M Advance Carbon Removal Coalition

The Government of Canada, BMO, ClimeFi, NorthX, RBC, Shopify, and Vancity have formed the Advance Carbon Removal (ACR) Coalition — targeting $100 million in new CDR support by 2030. The founding members have already deployed $75 million into Canadian carbon removal. The coalition, an initiative of Carbon Removal Canada, aims to reduce market fragmentation and make the sector “financeable.” (Carbon Herald · CNW)

Svante Acquires Carbon Alpha for BECCS Scale-Up

Svante Technologies acquired CDR developer Carbon Alpha, gaining the flagship North Star BECCS project in Saskatchewan. Developed with the Meadow Lake Tribal Council (representing nine First Nations), North Star will capture up to 140,000 tCO₂/year from a bioenergy centre and store it in a saline aquifer. The acquisition gives Svante vertical integration from capture technology to geological storage. (Carbon Herald)

Mercedes F1 Team Expands CDR Portfolio to ~18,900 tCO₂e

The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team added seven new CDR projects spanning DAC, biomass storage, BECCS, biochar, ocean alkalinity enhancement, and enhanced rock weathering. Total portfolio now covers approximately 18,900 tCO₂e across six countries. Portfolio curated by CUR8, targeting Race Team Net Zero by 2030. (Carbon Herald)

Octavia Carbon Secures DAC Offtake via Carbon Direct

Kenya-based DAC company Octavia Carbon locked in a new offtake agreement facilitated by Carbon Direct. The Hummingbird pilot in the Kenyan Rift Valley has been running its Gen 2 system 24/5 since October 2025, with CO₂ stored underground through a partnership with mineralization company Cella. (Carbon Herald)

Sirona Technologies Locks Multi-Year DAC Deal via Patch

Belgian modular DAC company Sirona Technologies secured a multi-year offtake agreement facilitated by Patch. The company reports that CDR buyers are shifting from exploration to long-term procurement, with multi-year contracts becoming the norm. (Carbon Herald)

LEGO Invests $2.8M in Carbon Removal Projects

LEGO committed an additional DKK 18M (~$2.8M) to CDR across four nature-based and engineered projects with Climate Impact Partners and ClimeFi. Projects include reforestation in Mexico, biomass geological storage, mineralization, and marine CDR. (ESG Dive)

UK Government Rejects Call to Halt CO₂ Pipeline

The UK government rejected a 17,000-signature petition to pause the Peak Cluster CO₂ pipeline in Merseyside, citing technical analysis showing >99.9% containment over 125 years. An emergency debate is scheduled in Wallasey. (BBC News)

Nature Paper Warns CDR Scale-Up Could Strain Resources

A new study in Communications Earth & Environment finds that scaling negative emissions technologies to climate-relevant levels could challenge global resource supply. Biochar and BECCS may raise nutrient demand; DAC and ocean liming could exacerbate mineral resource extraction. The authors call for careful pathway selection with lifecycle assessment. (Nature)

Market Snapshot

  • Total CDR spending: $787.7M
  • Total tonnes sold: 44.1M tCO₂
  • Delivery rate: 2.7%
  • Active purchasers: 1,013 | Suppliers: 721

Data: cdr.fyi

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