Skytree, developer of distributed direct air capture (D-DAC) technology, today announces the first CO2 capture devices for indoor cultivation.
The company is the first to deploy a carbon capture unit on Growy vertical farms in the Netherlands. Skytree will restructure the entire current indoor carbon supply chain by removing carbon dioxide from the outdoor air and redistributing it indoors.
With Skytree, vertical farms, shipping containers and greenhouses can grow crops with a constant flow of enriched CO2 removed from the surrounding air.
After a successful field test at Growys Amsterdam, the Skytree units provided a more accurate CO2 input than carbon cylinders and tanks. The target CO2 concentration was maintained in the grow chamber for more than 72 hours to grow the plants according to the dosage schedule provided by Growy. In addition, the stability of vital CO2 concentration levels was reliably recorded.
“Skytree gives vertical farms the opportunity to be more sustainable by reducing the cost of purchasing carbon needed to grow crops indoors,” said Growy CEO Ard van de Kreeke. “Skytree helps us imagine a future where we no longer have to depend on buying and storing carbon from fossil fuels to produce food.”
The fully automatic modular unit can be easily installed on site, connects to the air conditioner and produces a continuous flow of enriched air at exactly the right CO2 level with the smallest possible footprint. The patented technology for small-scale distributed direct air recovery was developed in the Skytree laboratory in Amsterdam through years of methodical research.
Skytree’s first series of carbon capture devices, producing up to 20 kg of CO2 per day, are now available for pilot projects across Europe and North America. “We are pleased that Skytree’s CO2 capture device has been successfully tested in-house. And we are well on our way to market entry and volume production,” says Skytree CEO Rob van Straten.
“The benefits to the business are clear. Sktyree is more expensive and more efficient than buying coal from industrial companies – and transporting it in-house – and reduces the carbon footprint of the farm. Our Skytree units can be integrated into indoor agricultural automation systems, allowing them to fully control CO2 delivery for optimal distribution indoors.
Skytree is increasing its production in Europe and North America, where the industry is expected to more than double by 2025 (Allied Market Research). As interiors focus on full platform automation, many are expected to switch from their current CO2 supply chain to smart and sustainable, cheaper on-site CO2 capture. Skytree Indoor Grow is the first carbon capture product that Skytree has launched.
