Berlin enters the carbon economy: Ucaneo opens Germany’s largest Direct Air Capture plant

Ucaneo’s first industrial plant removes 150 tons of CO₂ per year directly from ambient air, one of the largest electrochemical DAC facilities worldwide.

BERLIN, GERMANY, July 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- For more than a century, the global economy has relied on fossil carbon extracted from oil, gas, and coal. Today, that system is being transformed. While demand for carbon continues to grow across fuels, chemicals, materials, manufacturing, and carbon removal, economies worldwide are seeking to reduce dependence on fossil resources, strengthen domestic supply chains, and achieve climate targets. The result is an emerging carbon supply gap: carbon remains essential, but its source must change. Closing this gap will require entirely new carbon infrastructure. Ucaneo is building that infrastructure by turning atmospheric CO2 into a sustainable industrial resource.

Today, that vision takes a major step forward. Berlin-based carbon infrastructure company Ucaneo inaugurated Germany’s largest Direct Air Capture (DAC) plant in Berlin-Marzahn, marking a significant milestone in the emergence of a new carbon economy. The facility removes 150 metric tons of CO2 per year directly from ambient air and produces CO2 at over 99.9 percent purity, creating a local source of sustainable carbon for permanent storage as well as industrial applications including sustainable aviation fuels, chemicals, materials, and biomanufacturing.

The plant is one of the largest electrochemical DAC facilities worldwide and serves as the blueprint for Ucaneo’s next generation of commercial-scale carbon infrastructure. A portion of the captured CO2 will be permanently stored through geological sequestration, making it the first verified Direct Air Capture and geological storage project in Germany. With this milestone, Ucaneo becomes the first company in Germany and only the fifth company worldwide that will
permanently store atmospheric CO2 captured through Direct Air Capture, placing the company among the global pioneers of durable carbon removal.

Building the infrastructure layer of the carbon economy

The Berlin-Marzahn facility marks Ucaneo’s transition from pilot operations to industrial deployment and serves as the blueprint for future commercial plants. A facility with approximately ten times the capacity is already in development, with construction expected to begin in 2027, representing the next step toward scaling carbon infrastructure in Germany and beyond.

Fully electrified process delivering, CO2 at highest purity

Unlike conventional DAC systems that rely heavily on thermal regeneration, Ucaneo’s electrochemical process operates entirely on electricity and can be integrated directly with renewable energy systems. The technology produces CO2 at more than 99.9 percent purity while
operating flexibly alongside fluctuating renewable power generation and electricity market
conditions. The captured carbon can either be permanently stored to generate certified carbon
removal or supplied to industries requiring sustainable carbon feedstocks.

New industrial infrastructure for Berlin

The Berlin-Marzahn facility represents more than a technology milestone. The site was deliberately established in eastern Berlin as a contribution to Germany’s industrial future. Alongside the industrial plant, Ucaneo has opened the CO2 Store of the Future - a first-of-its-kind exhibition space that makes the emerging carbon economy tangible. Visitors can explore how carbon captured directly from the air can become a feedstock for fuels, chemicals, materials, consumer products, and permanent carbon removal. Designed for policymakers, industry leaders, investors, and the public alike, the CO2 Store of the Future demonstrates how sustainable carbon can become a foundational resource for future economies. Together with the industrial plant, it showcases a vision of new carbon infrastructure that strengthens industrial competitiveness, enables resilient supply chains, and supports the re-industrialization of Europe.

“The challenge is not eliminating carbon. The challenge is rebuilding how carbon is sourced. As economies move beyond fossil resources, entirely new carbon infrastructure must be built. With this plant, we are demonstrating that industrial carbon removal is no longer a future vision - it is operating today in Berlin. Our ambition is to build the infrastructure layer that enables the future carbon economy," said Florian Tiller, Co-Founder and CEO of Ucaneo.

“Our electrochemical process captures carbon directly from air using electricity and delivers CO2 at the highest purity. By eliminating thermal regeneration and designing for modular deployment, we are creating a pathway toward scalable, industrial carbon infrastructure,” said Carla Glassl, Co-Founder and CTO of Ucaneo.

Opening attended by leaders from politics and industry

Around 200 invited guests from politics, industry, and climate innovation attended the inauguration in Berlin-Marzahn. Opening remarks were delivered by Elisabeth Kaiser, Minister of State and Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany, Nadja Zivkovic, District Mayor of Marzahn-Hellersdorf, and
Andreas Kraus, Permanent Secretary for Climate Protection and the Environment of the State of Berlin. Across keynote presentations and two panel discussions, leaders from industry, finance, and climate innovation discussed the emergence of a new carbon economy, the role of carbon removal, and the industrial scaling of sustainable carbon infrastructure. Speakers included representatives from Boston Consulting Group, Klarna, SAP, CEEZER, Aramco Ventures, EY, VDMA Power Systems, and Everllence.

Press Kit

Luca Fischer
Ucaneo Biotech GmbH
press@ucaneo.com
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