# Scalability, Sustainability, and Cost Efficiency in Direct Air Capture (DAC) for CO2 Removal with Julian Turecek of AspiraDAC

- Show: [Hardware to Save a Planet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet)
- Published: 2023-10-26
- Length: 43m
- Episode: 38
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-10-26-scalability-sustainability-and-cost-efficiency-in-direct-air-capture-dac-for-co2
- Listen: https://podcasts.fame.so/e/5nzjxzjn-julian-turecek-cost-efficiency-in-direct-air-capture

## Summary

Julian Turecek, CEO of AspiraDAC, explains how his company uses metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and integrated solar power to create modular direct air capture (DAC) units. He details the strategic decision to integrate energy supply with capture technology to ensure 24/7 renewable energy and avoid grid emissions, which is critical for lifecycle assessments. Turecek outlines AspiraDAC's scaling roadmap from 1-ton prototypes to 1,000,000-ton gigaton-scale projects, aiming for a cost target of $100 per ton by leveraging manufacturing lessons from the solar PV and automotive industries.

## Chapters

- [0:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-10-26-scalability-sustainability-and-cost-efficiency-in-direct-air-capture-dac-for-co2#t=3) Introduction: Julian Turecek and AspiraDAC's Mission
- [2:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-10-26-scalability-sustainability-and-cost-efficiency-in-direct-air-capture-dac-for-co2#t=134) Climate Tech Ecosystem: Australia vs. Bay Area
- [3:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-10-26-scalability-sustainability-and-cost-efficiency-in-direct-air-capture-dac-for-co2#t=237) Turecek's Background: Energy Trading, VC, and Corporate Carbon
- [7:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-10-26-scalability-sustainability-and-cost-efficiency-in-direct-air-capture-dac-for-co2#t=429) Strategic Selection of DAC and Government Grant Funding
- [9:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-10-26-scalability-sustainability-and-cost-efficiency-in-direct-air-capture-dac-for-co2#t=575) Australia's Ideal Geology and Storage Potential for DAC
- [12:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-10-26-scalability-sustainability-and-cost-efficiency-in-direct-air-capture-dac-for-co2#t=726) The Cost Challenge: Modular Scaling and Economies of Scale
- [15:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-10-26-scalability-sustainability-and-cost-efficiency-in-direct-air-capture-dac-for-co2#t=907) System Design: A-Frame Solar Modules with MOF Sorbents
- [18:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-10-26-scalability-sustainability-and-cost-efficiency-in-direct-air-capture-dac-for-co2#t=1133) Integrated Energy: 24/7 Renewable Power and Grid Independence
- [27:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-10-26-scalability-sustainability-and-cost-efficiency-in-direct-air-capture-dac-for-co2#t=1660) Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs): Chemistry and Flexibility
- [33:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-10-26-scalability-sustainability-and-cost-efficiency-in-direct-air-capture-dac-for-co2#t=1987) Current Status: Prototype Operations and Scaling Roadmap

## Topics

- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- AspiraDAC (company)
- Corporate Carbon (company)
- Aquiproof (company)
- Sore Carbon (company)
- Climeworks (company)
- Frontier (company)
- metal-organic frameworks (material)
- MOFs (material)
- solar PV (other)
- amines (material)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [DAC’s bumpy road to commercial scale](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-10-03-dacs-bumpy-road-to-commercial-scale) (Catalyst)
- [ICYMI... HIBT Lab! Climeworks: Jan Wurzbacher](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-03-30-icymi-hibt-lab-climeworks-jan-wurzbacher) (How I Built This)
- [Building a decarbonization army with Shashank Samala of Heirloom](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-08-building-a-decarbonization-army-with-shashank-samala-of-heirloom) (How I Built This)
- [HIBT Lab! Climeworks: Jan Wurzbacher](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-06-30-hibt-lab-climeworks-jan-wurzbacher) (How I Built This)
- [The challenges of building a carbon removal portfolio](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-02-29-the-challenges-of-building-a-carbon-removal-portfolio) (Catalyst)

## Citing this page

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