Kenyan Startup Uses Geothermal Energy to Power Direct Air Carbon Capture in Gilgil

Gilgil, Kenya – July 18, 2025

In the highlands of central Kenya, a climate-tech startup is pioneering a bold solution to the global climate crisis by using geothermal energy to extract carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. Octavia Carbon, a Nairobi-based firm, has deployed prototype direct air capture (DAC) machines in Gilgil, leveraging steam from beneath the earth’s surface to power the technology.

The captured CO2 is compressed and either stored underground or sold as carbon credits, transforming a major greenhouse gas into a tradable commodity in the fight against climate change.

“We’ve already seen the effects of climate change, so we want something that’s going to work very fast and remove huge amounts of CO2,” said Engineer Hannah Wanjau of Octavia Carbon. Each of the company’s initial four machines can remove around 10 tons of CO2 per year – equivalent to the carbon-sequestering power of approximately 1,000 trees.

Octavia Carbon plans to scale rapidly, with a larger facility targeting 1,000 tons of annual CO2 removal slated for commissioning in 2026.

Still, experts say the scale remains modest relative to the global challenge. A recent study estimates that between 7 and 9 billion tons of CO2 must be removed annually by mid-century to meet international climate targets.

“Critics would be right to point out that what we currently do is a drop in the ocean,” said Martin Freimüller, co-founder of Octavia Carbon. “But the point is that scaling from 1,000 tons to a billion still starts with 1,000.”

The company’s initiative comes amid debate over the role of carbon capture in climate policy. While some environmental campaigners argue that DAC risks being used as a “greenwashing” tool by fossil fuel interests, most scientists agree that carbon removal technologies are essential – especially for hard-to-decarbonize sectors like cement, steel, and aviation.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has affirmed that carbon capture must complement – not replace – aggressive emissions reductions.

Octavia’s innovation highlights Kenya’s strategic advantage in the energy transition: a rich supply of renewable geothermal energy, paired with a growing base of homegrown engineering talent.

As climate urgency grows, Octavia Carbon represents an emerging frontier where African innovation intersects with global climate goals, one captured molecule at a time.