The industrial removal of carbon dioxide directly from ambient air is gaining momentum as demand grows for sustainable carbon feedstocks and permanent carbon removal. Siemens and Berlin-based climate technology company Ucaneo have entered into a strategic partnership to scale electrochemical Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology from industrial pilot stage to commercial deployment. By combining Ucaneo’s DAC process with Siemens’ automation and digitalization expertise, the partners aim to establish a standardized platform for the global rollout of carbon capture facilities.
Direct Air Capture moves toward industrial scale
Under the agreement, Siemens becomes Ucaneo’s preferred automation and digitalization partner. The collaboration covers the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio, supporting the technology from its first industrial installation through future commercial-scale facilities. The objective is to create a standardized automation platform that can be replicated across future Ucaneo plants and licensed operators worldwide. This modular approach is intended to simplify deployment, reduce engineering effort and accelerate the global expansion of Direct Air Capture technology. Ucaneo’s long-term ambition is to capture half a gigaton of CO2 from the atmosphere annually by 2035, roughly equivalent to offsetting Canada’s yearly carbon dioxide emissions.
Germany’s largest Direct Air Capture facility opens in Berlin
A major milestone will be reached with the commissioning of Ucaneo’s first industrial Direct Air Capture plant in Berlin. Scheduled for inauguration on July 2, 2026, the facility will have a nameplate capacity of 150 metric tons of CO2 per year, making it Germany’s largest DAC installation. Part of the captured carbon dioxide will be permanently stored in geological formations, creating Germany’s first verified Direct Air Capture project combined with geological storage. Ucaneo is also developing a commercial-scale facility with approximately ten times the capacity, with construction expected to begin next year.
Electrochemical process delivers high-purity CO2
Ucaneo’s proprietary electrochemical Direct Air Capture process is inspired by the human lung. The technology captures carbon dioxide directly from ambient air and delivers CO2 with a purity exceeding 99.9 percent. The captured carbon dioxide can either be permanently stored to generate certified negative emissions or used as a sustainable feedstock for products such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), methanol and food and beverage applications. The fully electrified process is designed to integrate directly with renewable energy sources while responding flexibly to grid conditions and electricity market prices.
Siemens provides automation and digital technologies
As part of the partnership, Siemens will supply process automation, instrumentation, analytics, drive technology and digitalization solutions. Ucaneo’s pilot plant already operates with Siemens process simulation software and controllers. Future projects are expected to incorporate the distributed control system “Simatic PCS neo” together with advanced simulation tools, enabling virtual validation before physical commissioning. This approach is intended to reduce technical risks during scale-up while creating a standardized automation template for future facilities.
Christian Gückel, Head of Vertical Chemicals at Siemens Digital Industries, explains: “What Ucaneo has built is exactly what the energy transition needs: a Direct Air Capture process that is efficient, fully electrified, and ready for industrial scale. Our role is to take that innovation from first plant to global rollout - through a standardized automation template that accelerates every subsequent deployment.”
Florian Tiller, Co-founder and CEO of Ucaneo, adds: “Building the carbon economy requires scalable and reliable infrastructure. Siemens is a key partner in helping us standardize and automate DAC systems, enabling cost-effective deployment at industrial scale. Together, we are building the robust carbon removal infrastructure needed to scale from Germany’s first verified DAC and geological storage project to future deployments around the world."
Demand for sustainable CO2 continues to grow
The market for sustainably sourced carbon dioxide is expanding across multiple industries, including sustainable aviation fuel production, chemicals, methanol and food and beverage manufacturing. Regulatory developments are expected to further accelerate demand. Under the EU’s “ReFuelEU” Aviation initiative, e-kerosene must account for an increasing share of aviation fuel supplied at European airports. At the same time, the EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) is creating a certification system for permanent carbon removals, opening additional revenue opportunities for DAC operators through certified carbon removal credits.
Standardization supports global deployment
With their partnership, Siemens and Ucaneo aim to establish Direct Air Capture as a scalable industrial technology. Standardized automation, digitalization and modular engineering concepts are expected to accelerate the deployment of future DAC plants while supporting the growing demand for sustainable carbon feedstocks and permanent carbon removal solutions.
