Graphyte signs first carbon removal purchase agreement with American Airlines

MEMPHIS, Tenn. and FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Graphyte, a carbon removal startup backed by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, today announced that American Airlines will be its inaugural customer, with the purchase of 10,000 tons of permanent carbon removal to be delivered in early 2025.

Graphyte’s Carbon Casting process leverages readily available biomass, efficient processing and state-of-the-art monitoring to make carbon dioxide (CO₂) removal quantifiable and permanent. Relative to existing carbon removal approaches, Carbon Casting permanently removes and stores CO₂ using significantly less energy and at a substantially lower cost.

“This is a landmark agreement for both Graphyte and American Airlines,” said Barclay Rogers, CEO of Graphyte. “It demonstrates the growing demand for affordable and scalable high-quality carbon removal credits and the ability of Carbon Casting technology to make a significant impact in the fight against climate change in the very near term.”

American has a long-term goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, and is investing in a variety of technologies to reduce its carbon footprint. While American’s focus is to reduce emissions within its operations – for example, through the purchase of more efficient aircraft and low carbon sustainable aviation fuel -- it recognizes that carbon credits will play a critical role in eliminating aviation’s residual emissions. With its purchase of carbon removal credits from Graphyte, American aims to accelerate and scale the CO₂ removal market.

“American is focused on accelerating new low-carbon technologies to reduce aviation’s climate impact,” said Jill Blickstein, Chief Sustainability Officer at American. “Hard to abate industries like aviation will need high-quality, permanent, affordable and scalable carbon credits – including removals -- to achieve our emissions reduction goals. We are excited to work with Graphyte to help them scale their important new technology.”

This first commercial-scale deployment of Carbon Casting will take place at a Graphyte facility in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, which sits at an intersection of major agricultural and timber production areas. Carbon Casting leverages readily available biomass byproducts, including crop and wood residues, that have already captured significant CO₂ from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. The biomass is then dried to prevent decomposition, converted into dense carbon blocks, wrapped in an environmentally safe polymer barrier, and monitored in a state-of-the-art underground storage facility.                                    

About Graphyte
Graphyte, a permanent carbon removal company backed by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, has engineered the world’s only carbon dioxide removal approach that is permanent, affordable, and immediately scalable. By combining photosynthesis with practical engineering, Carbon Casting provides an immediate pathway for billions of tons of low-cost carbon removal with durability over 1,000 years. Visit Graphyte.com to learn more.

About American Airlines Group
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