The 2025 Outlook for Negative Emissions Geoengineering Technologies: Unveiling the Next Wave of Carbon Removal Innovations. How Emerging Solutions Are Shaping the Future of Climate Action.

• Executive Summary: The State of Negative Emissions Geoengineering in 2025
• Market Size and Forecasts Through 2030
• Key Technologies: Direct Air Capture, BECCS, Ocean Alkalinity, and More
• Leading Players and Industry Initiatives (e.g., climeworks.com, carbonengineering.com, globalccsinstitute.com)
• Policy, Regulation, and International Collaboration
• Investment Trends and Funding Landscape
• Deployment Challenges: Scalability, Cost, and Infrastructure
• Environmental and Social Impacts: Risks and Opportunities
• Case Studies: Commercial Projects and Pilot Programs
• Future Outlook: Innovation Pipelines and Market Acceleration to 2030
• Sources & References

Executive Summary: The State of Negative Emissions Geoengineering in 2025

In 2025, negative emissions geoengineering technologies—methods designed to actively remove carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere—are at a pivotal stage of development and deployment. These technologies are increasingly recognized as essential complements to emissions reduction strategies, particularly as global climate targets become more ambitious and the window for limiting warming to 1.5°C narrows. The sector is characterized by rapid innovation, significant capital inflows, and the emergence of large-scale demonstration projects, though commercial viability and scalability remain key challenges.

Direct Air Capture (DAC) is the most mature and visible negative emissions technology in 2025. Companies such as Climeworks and Carbon Engineering have operational plants in Europe and North America, respectively, with capacities ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of tonnes of CO₂ per year. Climeworks has expanded its Orca and Mammoth facilities in Iceland, leveraging renewable geothermal energy for CO₂ capture and permanent mineralization in basaltic rock. Meanwhile, Carbon Engineering is advancing large-scale projects in partnership with energy and infrastructure firms, aiming for million-tonne annual capture rates within the next few years.

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is also progressing, particularly in the power and industrial sectors. Drax Group in the UK continues to retrofit its biomass power stations with carbon capture technology, targeting negative emissions at commercial scale. The company’s roadmap includes capturing and storing up to 8 million tonnes of CO₂ annually by the late 2020s, contingent on supportive policy frameworks and infrastructure development.

Emerging approaches such as ocean-based carbon removal and enhanced weathering are moving from pilot to demonstration phases. Organizations like Running Tide are deploying ocean alkalinity enhancement and biomass sinking projects, while others are testing mineralization processes at industrial scale. However, these methods face regulatory, monitoring, and ecological impact uncertainties that are likely to shape their trajectory over the next several years.

The outlook for negative emissions geoengineering in the near term is cautiously optimistic. Major economies are integrating carbon removal targets into climate policy, and voluntary carbon markets are beginning to recognize high-quality removals. Yet, the sector’s growth is constrained by high costs, energy requirements, and the need for robust measurement, reporting, and verification standards. Continued public and private investment, alongside international collaboration, will be critical to scaling these technologies to climate-relevant levels by 2030 and beyond.

Market Size and Forecasts Through 2030

The market for negative emissions geoengineering technologies—encompassing direct air capture (DAC), bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), enhanced weathering, and ocean-based carbon removal—is poised for significant growth through 2030. As of 2025, the sector remains nascent but is rapidly scaling, driven by tightening climate targets, government incentives, and increasing corporate net-zero commitments.

Direct air capture (DAC) is currently the most commercially advanced negative emissions technology. Leading companies such as Climeworks and Carbon Engineering have operational plants, with Climeworks recently inaugurating its “Mammoth” facility in Iceland, targeting a capture capacity of 36,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. Carbon Engineering is collaborating with partners to develop large-scale DAC projects in North America, aiming for million-tonne annual capacities by the late 2020s. The global installed DAC capacity, while still below 0.1 million tonnes per year in 2023, is projected to surpass 5 million tonnes by 2027 and could reach 60–100 million tonnes by 2030, contingent on policy support and project financing.

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is also advancing, particularly in the power and industrial sectors. Drax Group in the UK is progressing with plans to retrofit its biomass power units with carbon capture, targeting negative emissions of 8 million tonnes CO₂ annually by 2030. In the US, Archer Daniels Midland Company operates one of the world’s largest BECCS facilities, capturing over 1 million tonnes of CO₂ per year from ethanol production. The global BECCS market is expected to expand as more projects move from pilot to commercial scale, with cumulative capacity potentially reaching 50–100 million tonnes per year by 2030.

Emerging approaches such as enhanced weathering and ocean-based carbon removal are at earlier stages of commercialization. Companies like Heirloom Carbon Technologies and Project Vesta are piloting mineralization and coastal enhanced weathering, respectively, with demonstration projects expected to scale in the latter half of the decade. While these technologies currently contribute marginally to total negative emissions, their market share could grow rapidly if technical and regulatory hurdles are addressed.

Overall, the negative emissions geoengineering market is forecast to grow from a few hundred million dollars in 2025 to several billion dollars by 2030, with cumulative removal capacity potentially exceeding 150 million tonnes of CO₂ annually. This outlook depends on continued policy momentum, carbon pricing, and the emergence of robust carbon removal markets, as well as the ability of technology providers to scale up safely and cost-effectively.

Key Technologies: Direct Air Capture, BECCS, Ocean Alkalinity, and More

Negative emissions geoengineering technologies are rapidly advancing as the urgency to address atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations intensifies. As of 2025, several key approaches are being deployed and scaled, with significant investments and pilot projects underway. The most prominent technologies include Direct Air Capture (DAC), Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), and ocean-based methods such as ocean alkalinity enhancement.

Direct Air Capture (DAC) involves extracting CO₂ directly from ambient air and storing it underground or utilizing it in products. The sector is led by companies such as Climeworks, which operates the world’s largest DAC plant in Iceland, and Carbon Engineering, which is developing large-scale facilities in North America. In 2024, Climeworks launched its “Mammoth” plant, targeting a capture capacity of 36,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year, with plans to scale to megaton levels by the late 2020s. Carbon Engineering is collaborating with partners to construct plants capable of capturing up to 1 million tonnes annually, with the first commercial-scale facilities expected to be operational by 2025–2026.

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) combines biomass energy production with CO₂ capture and geological storage. Drax Group in the UK is a leading proponent, operating one of the world’s largest biomass power stations and piloting BECCS technology. By 2025, Drax Group aims to capture and store up to 8 million tonnes of CO₂ annually by the end of the decade, with initial commercial capture expected to begin in the next few years. The scalability of BECCS is closely tied to sustainable biomass sourcing and the development of CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure.

Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement is an emerging field, aiming to increase the ocean’s capacity to absorb atmospheric CO₂ by adding alkaline substances. Companies like Planetary Technologies and Running Tide are conducting pilot projects in North America and Europe. Planetary Technologies is testing the addition of alkaline minerals to coastal waters, while Running Tide is deploying biomass and minerals to enhance carbon sequestration in the open ocean. These projects are in early stages, with large-scale deployment dependent on regulatory approvals and further environmental impact assessments.

Other negative emissions approaches, such as enhanced weathering and mineralization, are also progressing, with companies like Heirloom Carbon Technologies and Charm Industrial piloting innovative methods to accelerate natural carbon removal processes. The outlook for 2025 and the following years is characterized by rapid technological iteration, increased public and private investment, and a growing emphasis on robust monitoring, reporting, and verification to ensure the permanence and safety of negative emissions.

Leading Players and Industry Initiatives (e.g., climeworks.com, carbonengineering.com, globalccsinstitute.com)

The landscape of negative emissions geoengineering technologies is rapidly evolving, with several leading players and industry initiatives shaping the sector as of 2025. These technologies, which include direct air capture (DAC), bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), and mineralization, are increasingly recognized as essential complements to emissions reduction strategies for achieving net-zero and net-negative climate targets.

Among the most prominent companies, Climeworks has established itself as a global leader in DAC. Headquartered in Switzerland, Climeworks operates the world’s largest commercial DAC facility, “Orca,” in Iceland, and is scaling up with its “Mammoth” plant, targeting multi-megaton annual CO₂ removal capacity in the coming years. The company’s modular technology captures atmospheric CO₂, which is then permanently stored underground through mineralization in partnership with local storage providers. Climeworks has secured long-term offtake agreements with major corporations, including Microsoft and Stripe, signaling growing corporate demand for high-quality carbon removals.

Another key player, Carbon Engineering, based in Canada, has developed a liquid solvent-based DAC process. The company is collaborating with partners such as 1PointFive (a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum) to construct large-scale DAC facilities in the United States, with the first commercial plant in Texas aiming for a capacity of up to 500,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. Carbon Engineering’s technology is designed for both permanent geological storage and utilization in synthetic fuels, broadening its market applications.

The Global CCS Institute plays a pivotal role as an industry body, tracking and supporting the deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects worldwide. As of 2025, the Institute reports a record number of CCS facilities in development, with a significant portion dedicated to negative emissions applications, including BECCS and DAC. Their data highlights a surge in investment and policy support, particularly in North America and Europe, where regulatory frameworks and incentives are accelerating project pipelines.

Other notable initiatives include Heirloom, which focuses on enhanced mineralization for CO₂ removal, and CarbonCure Technologies, which integrates CO₂ into concrete production, offering scalable pathways for permanent carbon sequestration. These companies are attracting significant venture capital and forming partnerships with construction and industrial sectors to expand deployment.

Looking ahead, the outlook for negative emissions geoengineering technologies is marked by rapid capacity expansion, increased public and private investment, and growing integration into national and corporate climate strategies. The sector’s leading players are expected to continue scaling up operations, driving down costs, and establishing robust monitoring and verification standards to ensure the permanence and integrity of carbon removals.

Policy, Regulation, and International Collaboration

The policy and regulatory landscape for negative emissions geoengineering technologies is rapidly evolving as governments and international bodies recognize the urgent need to address residual greenhouse gas emissions. In 2025, the focus is on establishing robust frameworks to govern the deployment, monitoring, and verification of technologies such as direct air capture (DAC), bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), and enhanced mineralization.

At the international level, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) continues to play a central role in shaping the discourse around negative emissions. The 2023 Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement highlighted the necessity of scaling up carbon removal to meet net-zero targets, prompting countries to include negative emissions strategies in their updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has also emphasized the importance of negative emissions in its Sixth Assessment Report, reinforcing the need for coordinated global action.

In 2025, several countries are advancing national policies to support the development and deployment of negative emissions technologies. The United States, through the Department of Energy, has expanded funding for large-scale DAC hubs, with companies like Climeworks and Carbon Engineering participating in federally supported projects. The European Union is implementing the Carbon Removal Certification Framework, aiming to standardize the measurement and reporting of carbon removals across member states. This framework is expected to facilitate cross-border collaboration and the creation of a regulated carbon removal market.

International collaboration is also evident in multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the Mission Innovation Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Mission, which brings together governments, industry leaders, and research institutions to accelerate the commercialization of negative emissions technologies. Companies like Climeworks, a Swiss pioneer in DAC, and Carbon Engineering, a Canadian innovator, are actively involved in these efforts, working alongside public agencies to scale up infrastructure and reduce costs.

Regulatory challenges remain, particularly regarding the long-term monitoring and liability of stored carbon, as well as the potential environmental and social impacts of large-scale deployment. Policymakers are increasingly focused on developing transparent accounting systems and ensuring that negative emissions are additional, verifiable, and do not detract from emissions reduction efforts. The next few years will be critical for establishing international standards and governance mechanisms that can support the responsible and equitable deployment of negative emissions geoengineering technologies.

Investment Trends and Funding Landscape

The investment landscape for negative emissions geoengineering technologies is experiencing significant momentum as the urgency to address climate change intensifies. In 2025, both public and private sectors are scaling up funding for solutions such as direct air capture (DAC), bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), enhanced weathering, and ocean-based carbon removal. This surge is driven by tightening regulatory frameworks, net-zero commitments, and the growing recognition that emissions reductions alone are insufficient to meet global climate targets.

Direct air capture remains a focal point for investment. Climeworks, a Swiss pioneer in DAC, has attracted substantial capital, including a $650 million equity round in 2022, and continues to expand its Orca and Mammoth plants in Iceland. The company’s business model, which includes long-term carbon removal purchase agreements with major corporations, is setting a precedent for the sector. Similarly, Carbon Engineering (Canada) is advancing large-scale DAC projects in North America, supported by partnerships with energy and infrastructure firms. In the United States, Heirloom Carbon Technologies and Global Thermostat are scaling up pilot and commercial facilities, leveraging both venture capital and government grants.

Government funding is also accelerating. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Carbon Negative Shot initiative, launched in 2021, is channeling billions into research, demonstration, and deployment of negative emissions technologies. The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act increased the 45Q tax credit for carbon capture, making large-scale projects more financially viable. The European Union’s Innovation Fund and the UK’s Net Zero Innovation Portfolio are similarly supporting demonstration projects and early commercialization.

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is attracting investment from major energy companies. Drax Group in the UK is advancing BECCS at its North Yorkshire power station, aiming to become a carbon-negative company by 2030. The company has secured government support and is seeking private investment to scale up operations. In Sweden, Preem is piloting BECCS at its refineries, with support from national climate funds.

Venture capital and corporate buyers are increasingly active in the sector. Tech giants and financial institutions are signing multi-year carbon removal purchase agreements, providing revenue certainty for project developers. The emergence of carbon removal marketplaces and certification standards is further catalyzing investment by improving transparency and accountability.

Looking ahead, the funding landscape for negative emissions geoengineering technologies is expected to diversify, with blended finance models, green bonds, and public-private partnerships playing a larger role. As regulatory clarity improves and early projects demonstrate viability, capital inflows are likely to accelerate, positioning the sector for rapid growth through the late 2020s.

Deployment Challenges: Scalability, Cost, and Infrastructure

The deployment of negative emissions geoengineering technologies—such as direct air capture (DAC), bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), and enhanced mineralization—faces significant challenges in scalability, cost, and infrastructure, particularly as the sector moves into 2025 and the immediate years ahead.

Scalability remains a central hurdle. While pilot and demonstration projects have proliferated, the transition to gigaton-scale carbon removal is daunting. For example, Climeworks, a leading DAC company based in Switzerland, has operational plants in Europe and is constructing larger facilities, such as the Mammoth plant in Iceland, aiming for annual capture capacities in the tens of thousands of tonnes. However, to meet global climate targets, the world would need to remove billions of tonnes of CO₂ annually by mid-century—a scale that current deployments are far from achieving. Similarly, Carbon Engineering (Canada) is advancing commercial-scale DAC projects in North America, but these are still in early stages relative to the scale required.

Cost is another major barrier. As of 2025, the cost of DAC remains high, with estimates ranging from $600 to $1,000 per tonne of CO₂ captured, though companies like Climeworks and Carbon Engineering are targeting significant cost reductions through technological improvements and economies of scale. BECCS projects, such as those piloted by Drax Group in the UK, also face high capital and operational costs, especially when integrating biomass supply chains and carbon storage infrastructure. The economic viability of these technologies is further complicated by uncertain policy incentives and carbon pricing mechanisms, which are still evolving in most jurisdictions.

Infrastructure development is a critical, yet often overlooked, challenge. Large-scale deployment of negative emissions technologies requires extensive infrastructure for CO₂ transport and storage. For instance, the buildout of pipelines and geological storage sites is essential for both DAC and BECCS. Companies like Occidental Petroleum are investing in CO₂ sequestration hubs in the United States, but permitting, public acceptance, and regulatory frameworks remain significant obstacles. Additionally, the supply of low-carbon energy is a prerequisite for the climate effectiveness of these technologies, as high energy requirements can offset captured emissions if not sourced sustainably.

Looking ahead to the next few years, the sector is expected to see incremental progress, with more demonstration plants, increased investment, and the gradual emergence of supporting infrastructure. However, without substantial policy support, cost reductions, and coordinated infrastructure planning, the path to large-scale, economically viable negative emissions remains challenging.

Environmental and Social Impacts: Risks and Opportunities

Negative emissions geoengineering technologies—such as direct air capture (DAC), bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), and enhanced weathering—are increasingly positioned as critical tools in the global effort to achieve net-zero emissions. As of 2025, these technologies are moving from pilot phases to early commercial deployment, with significant implications for both environmental and social systems.

On the environmental front, the most mature negative emissions technology is DAC. Companies like Climeworks and Carbon Engineering have operational plants in Europe and North America, respectively, with Climeworks’ “Mammoth” facility in Iceland aiming to capture up to 36,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. These projects demonstrate the technical feasibility of large-scale atmospheric CO₂ removal, but also highlight challenges such as high energy requirements and the need for reliable, long-term CO₂ storage. The environmental risks include potential land use changes, water consumption, and the lifecycle emissions associated with building and operating these facilities.

BECCS projects are also advancing, particularly in the United States and Scandinavia. For example, Drax Group in the UK is piloting BECCS at its biomass power station, targeting millions of tonnes of CO₂ removal annually by the late 2020s. However, BECCS raises concerns about competition for land, impacts on biodiversity, and food security, as large-scale biomass cultivation may displace other land uses. The environmental opportunity lies in the potential for BECCS to deliver negative emissions while generating renewable energy, but only if implemented with robust sustainability criteria.

Socially, the deployment of negative emissions technologies presents both risks and opportunities. On one hand, these projects can create skilled jobs in engineering, construction, and operations, particularly in regions transitioning away from fossil fuels. For instance, Climeworks and Carbon Engineering have both highlighted workforce development as a key benefit of their projects. On the other hand, there are concerns about public acceptance, especially regarding the siting of large facilities and the long-term safety of CO₂ storage. Transparent stakeholder engagement and equitable benefit-sharing will be essential to address these issues.

Looking ahead to the next few years, the outlook for negative emissions geoengineering technologies is cautiously optimistic. The sector is expected to scale rapidly, driven by government incentives, corporate net-zero commitments, and emerging carbon removal markets. However, the environmental and social impacts will depend on careful project design, robust monitoring, and inclusive governance frameworks. The balance between risks and opportunities will shape the role of these technologies in global climate strategies through the remainder of the decade.

Case Studies: Commercial Projects and Pilot Programs

The landscape of negative emissions geoengineering technologies is rapidly evolving, with several commercial projects and pilot programs demonstrating the feasibility and scalability of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) solutions. As of 2025, the most prominent approaches include direct air capture (DAC), bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), enhanced weathering, and ocean-based sequestration. These initiatives are being driven by a combination of private sector investment, government support, and international climate commitments.

Direct air capture has emerged as a leading technology, with companies such as Climeworks and Carbon Engineering operating some of the world’s largest commercial DAC facilities. Climeworks’s Orca and Mammoth plants in Iceland are notable for their modular design and integration with renewable energy sources, aiming to permanently store captured CO₂ in basaltic rock formations. In North America, Carbon Engineering is advancing large-scale DAC projects in partnership with energy and infrastructure firms, targeting million-tonne annual removal capacities within the next few years.

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is also gaining traction, particularly in the power and industrial sectors. Drax Group in the United Kingdom is piloting BECCS at its biomass power station, with ambitions to become the world’s first carbon-negative power plant. The company aims to capture and store up to 8 million tonnes of CO₂ per year by the late 2020s, contingent on regulatory and financial support.

Enhanced weathering, which accelerates the natural process of mineral carbonation, is being tested at pilot scale by companies like Heirloom and Project Vesta. Heirloom utilizes limestone to capture atmospheric CO₂, while Project Vesta is conducting field trials with olivine sand on coastal beaches to assess carbon sequestration rates and ecological impacts.

Ocean-based CDR is another frontier, with Running Tide deploying pilot projects that use biomass and mineralization to enhance ocean alkalinity and sequester carbon. These projects are closely monitored for environmental safety and permanence of storage.

Looking ahead, the next few years are expected to see a significant scale-up of these technologies, driven by policy incentives, voluntary carbon markets, and corporate net-zero commitments. The success of these case studies will be critical in determining the role of negative emissions geoengineering in achieving global climate targets.

Future Outlook: Innovation Pipelines and Market Acceleration to 2030

The landscape for negative emissions geoengineering technologies is poised for significant evolution through 2025 and into the latter half of the decade, driven by urgent climate targets and increasing policy support. The sector encompasses a range of approaches, including direct air capture (DAC), bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), enhanced weathering, and ocean-based carbon removal. As of 2025, the innovation pipeline is dominated by a handful of pioneering companies and consortia, with several large-scale demonstration projects either operational or in advanced stages of development.

Direct air capture remains the most commercially advanced negative emissions technology. Climeworks AG, headquartered in Switzerland, has expanded its modular DAC plants, with its “Mammoth” facility in Iceland targeting a capture capacity of 36,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. The company has announced plans to scale up to megatonne-scale facilities by the late 2020s, leveraging partnerships with carbon storage providers and corporate buyers of carbon removal credits. Similarly, Carbon Engineering Ltd. (Canada) is progressing with large-scale DAC projects in North America, aiming for facilities capable of capturing up to 1 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, with commercial operations expected to commence before 2030.

In the BECCS domain, Drax Group plc in the UK is advancing its plans to retrofit its biomass power stations with carbon capture technology, targeting negative emissions at scale. Drax aims to remove up to 8 million tonnes of CO₂ per year by 2030, contingent on regulatory frameworks and government support. The company is actively engaging with supply chain partners and policymakers to accelerate deployment and secure long-term offtake agreements.

Enhanced weathering, which involves spreading finely ground minerals to accelerate natural carbon sequestration, is moving from pilot to early commercial phases. Heirloom Carbon Technologies (USA) is developing engineered mineralization processes, with pilot plants operational and plans for commercial-scale deployment by the late 2020s. The company is collaborating with industrial partners to integrate its technology into existing infrastructure.

Ocean-based carbon removal is also gaining traction, with companies like Running Tide Technologies (USA) piloting biomass-based ocean sequestration and mineralization projects. These efforts are closely monitored by regulatory bodies to ensure environmental safety and scalability.

Looking ahead, the market acceleration of negative emissions geoengineering technologies will depend on a combination of technological breakthroughs, cost reductions, robust measurement and verification standards, and supportive policy environments. The next few years are expected to see increased investment, the emergence of new business models (such as carbon removal purchase agreements), and the integration of negative emissions into national and corporate climate strategies. By 2030, the sector aims to transition from demonstration to gigatonne-scale impact, positioning negative emissions as a critical pillar of global decarbonization efforts.

Sources & References

• Climeworks
• Carbon Engineering
• Heirloom Carbon Technologies
• Project Vesta
• Planetary Technologies
• Charm Industrial
• Global CCS Institute
• Preem