Weather conditions severely impact optimal direct air capture siting

Abstract

Direct air capture (DAC) is rapidly gaining attention as a key technological approach to mitigating climate change. While techno-economic assessments increasingly incorporate DAC, they often overlook the influence of weather variability on both energy demand and plant productivity. In this study, we analyze how local weather patterns affect the two most promising DAC approaches: the solid sorbent and the liquid solvent processes. We reveal for a German case study, that the integration of DAC with renewable energy sources necessitates temporal and spatial considerations, as fluctuations in energy supply and demand can significantly impact operational feasibility. We demonstrate energy demand fluctuations of DAC exceeding 100 % over the course of a year and estimate future DAC costs in Germany in a range from 197 €/t_CO2 to 1035 €/t_CO2, depending on the region and technology. These results emphasize the need for detailed, site-specific assessments to ensure future cost-optimal DAC deployment.