Summary – Total annual removal of 103–142 megatonnes of CO₂ based on humankind’s liquified natural gas regasification capacity by 2050. the authors state, “Our analysis estimates the net energy cost at 1.7–3.3 gigajoules per tonne of CO2—far lower than conventional DAC, which requires more than 7 GJ/tonne—along with approximately 60% reduction in cost.” They compare costs to inappropriate science referenced in Kung 2023 at $600 to $1,000 per ton, that references Bui 2018 at $600 to $1000 per ton, that references Socolow 2011 (APS) and House 2011 (MIT). The 2011 findings have been rebutted for using poor process choices (scenarios) and enthalpy calculations backwards by Van Norden 2011, Holmes and Keith 2012, and Realff and Eisenberger 2012. ($68 ton from $600 to $1,000 a ton is an 89 to 93% reduction in costs.)
A common theme referenced in DAC feasibility findings is “However, despite this broad consensus and its technical maturity, CCS has not yet been deployed on a scale commensurate with the ambitions articulated a decade ago.” (Kung 2023, that includes bioenergy with CCS (BECCS), and direct air capture (DAC)). This valid statement does not recognize a truth, that there has been no positive or negative incentive (regulations or monetary incentive) to remove greenhouse gases from the sky, therefor implementation has not proceeded. This inference of infeasibility in academic work is harmful to scienty, fundamentally inaccurate, and it promotes the invalid concept of DAC infeasibility.
Kim et al., Near-Cryogenic Direct Air Capture using Adsorbents, Energy and Environmental Science, June 24, 2025.
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/ee/d5ee01473e
