Ucaneo
Climate Transformation Fund • Germany
Advancing biomimetic direct air capture
Ucaneo is pioneering a biomimetic Direct Air Capture technology. Their innovative approach combines solvents with (bio)catalytic properties and electrochemistry, resulting in a process that can be more energy and cost-efficient than traditional methods. Ucaneo's prototype has demonstrated the capacity to remove roughly 1 ton of CO2 per year, with scalable modular units designed to remove ~500-1000 tons of CO2 annually. Their unique use of electrochemistry and (bio)catalysts, along with an interchangeable modular and scalable design, sets them apart.
Durable carbon removal (CDR)
CDR is one of the most crucial solutions to reach and maintain net-zero emissions and limit global warming. To counterbalance fossil emissions from the long carbon cycle, the carbon removed needs to be stored durably. While solutions for durably removing carbon are still nascent, pre-purchasing carbon removal from startups can help kickstart the sector, making it an affordable and climate-relevant solution in the future. When credits or certificates are bought, they will be retired, meaning they cannot be resold and will not be counted as financial instruments.
Direct Air capture with storage (DACs)
Direct air capture (DACs) refers to taking CO₂ from the air to then store it permanently underground. The method is scalable and not dependent on rare materials, but very energy intensive.
Durable carbon removal
Namibia
PyroCCS pioneers sustainable industrial biochar carbon removal in the Global South, deploying its own low-cost, robust, pyrolysis systems powered by renewable energy and backed by a digital measurement and reporting solution. These plants efficiently convert invasive acacia bushes in Namibia, a significant threat to the savanna ecosystem, into high-quality biochar, while providing critical employment in regions with high youth unemployment rates. PyroCCS's scalable technology, which they are also offering as a solution to other project developers, not only captures carbon but also supports local agricultural and environmental recovery as well as food security.
Decarbonization
South Africa
CHAI will work on the high impact project of transitioning a portfolio of hospitals in South Africa's Western Cape Province to renewable energy. This could be a high impact measure that is currently not occurring due to the limited capacity of the department of health and because of bureaucratic hurdles to innovative financial and energy contracts. The project has the potential to reduce emissions by hundreds of thousands of tons, and leverages CHAI's extensive experience in health sector procurement and innovative finance.
Nature protection and restoration
Tanzania
This project develops a mobile app for regreening techniques like Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR). The app delivers real-time, location-specific advice directly to farmers' phones. This approach reduces intervention costs by eliminating the need for in-person visits to every location. We already support Justdiggit’s regular work since 2021, and now added this project because it builds on proven FMNR methods, increasing cost-efficiency and potential for rapid scaling in dry landscapes.