Octavia & Cella

XPRIZE TRACK
AIR

CDR PATHWAY(S)
Air - Solid sorbent direct air capture
Rocks - In-situ mineralization

PHYSICAL PRODUCTS
Advanced Materials, Industrial Chemicals, Chemical Polymers

FOUNDED
2022

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Octavia & Cella
Nairobi, Kenya | New York City, USA
www.octaviacarbon.com

Martin Freimüller
[email protected]

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Octavia and Cella have partnered to develop the first Direct Air Capture (DAC) and geological storage project in the Southern Hemisphere, within the Kenyan Rift Valley. As the Global South's first DAC company, Octavia designs, builds, and deploys highly modular machines that capture CO2 directly from the atmosphere using DAC technology. Cella, the storage partner, provides permanent carbon removal through in-situ mineralization and is developing the necessary technology for this process.

CORE INNOVATION

To address DAC’s high energy requirements, Octavia is building DAC machines that leverage low-grade heat. This allows for the integration of geothermal waste heat to cover >85% of their energy requirements which in turn also significantly cuts down their DAC OPEX. Concurrently, Cella is developing patent-pending technology for CO2 injection that significantly enhances storage efficiency and capacity. Thereby, Cella is turning CO2 into stone for permanent CO2 removal.

CO2 CAPTURE

Octavia is deploying their DAC technology to facilitate CO2 capture for the pilot DAC+Storage facility. Their process employs low-temperature vacuum swing adsorption (TVSA) with solid-supported amines. The DAC process has two phases: adsorption and desorption. In the adsorption phase, the sorbent captures CO2 from the air. When saturated, desorption begins by creating a partial vacuum. Geothermal waste heat indirectly heats the sorbent, releasing the captured CO2, which is then compressed for purification and sequestration.

CO2 SEQUESTRATION

Cella will inject the captured CO2 underground into basalt rock formations abundant in the Kenyan Rift Valley region. The porous basaltic rocks are natural storage sites for CO2 because of their ability to transform CO2 into carbonate minerals, locking it away for millions of years with minimal to no leakage risk. Octavia’s DAC operations will be co-located with Cella’s commercial CO2 storage well, avoiding additional infrastructural costs.

CO-BENEFITS OR PRODUCTS

Kenya's grid is 93% renewable, but high electricity costs persist due to inadequate industrial demand, leading to 1,000 MWh of geothermal energy wasted daily. Harnessing this excess capacity will stimulate green industrialization in the region and help subsidize electricity costs for marginalized communities. Additionally, as part of their community benefits plan, they are supporting initiatives in the deployment area, including an apprenticeship program aimed at developing green skills among the youth and a scholarship program.