Deep Sky to build 500,000 tonne carbon removal hub in MB

Deep Sky plans to build one of the world's largest carbon removal facilities in Southwestern Manitoba, targeting an annual removal capacity of 500,000 tonnes of CO2 at full scale. The development will occur in phases, with the first phase, which includes a 30,000-tonne removal capacity, planned to begin construction in 2026.

Deep Sky Manitoba was announced this week, along with an estimated CAD $500 million investment in the region.

Southwestern Manitoba was identified as an optimal location due to its geological suitability for safe and effective underground CO2 storage. The Government of Manitoba has enacted legislation enabling the storage of carbon dioxide, and further regulatory measures are anticipated within the year.

The abundance of renewable hydroelectric power in Manitoba is another key factor, ensuring that the carbon removal process can be powered with minimal additional emissions. According to the province of Manitoba, 98 per cent of electricity comes from renewable resources like wind or hydro.

"Southwestern Manitoba perfectly embodies what the carbon removal industry needs to succeed: ideal geology, clean energy, a skilled workforce, and forward thinking leadership," said Alex Petre, Deep Sky's Chief Executive Officer. "What Deep Sky is building in Manitoba isn't just one of the world's largest carbon removal facilities, it's the foundation of an industry that will reshape our economy and our planet. Canada has the opportunity to become the carbon removal capital of the world, and capture the jobs and economic opportunity that will come with it."

As part of the site selection process, Deep Sky is considering several potential locations within Southwestern Manitoba and says it's working with municipal, Indigenous, and community stakeholders. Deep Sky says the goal is to initiate the drilling of the storage well before the end of the year, paving the way for construction in 2026.

Deep Sky has established relations with the Dakota Grand Council and the Dakota Nations of Manitoba, formalising a Declaration of Relationship to explore investment and partnership opportunities on this project.

"On behalf of the Dakota Grand Council and our Dakota Oyate, including our Tribal Partners in the US, we are proud to announce our partnership with Deep Sky," said Chairman Raymond Brown of Dakota Grand Council and Chief Canupawakpa Dakota Nation. "Our Dakota long term economic development strategy is to partner with and invest in sectors that align with our vision of a sustainable 'TOKATA' (Future)."

The first phase of Deep Sky Manitoba is anticipated to bring an investment of over CAD $200 million. This will create a number of construction and operational jobs, as well as opportunities for local businesses and suppliers. 

This announcement follows Deep Sky's recent launch of its Alberta facility, Deep Sky Alpha, which has a removal capacity of 3,000 tonnes per year. The Alberta facility is the first technology-agnostic Direct Air Capture (DAC) installation of its kind and is intended to inform technology choices for the forthcoming Manitoba project. Parallel developments are underway for additional large-scale projects in Quebec and other parts of Canada.

Rendering courtesy of Deep Sky.