1PointFive, a subsidiary of energy giant Occidental (Oxy) focused on direct air capture (DAC), today announced an agreement with telecommunications company AT&T to purchase carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits from the company's DAC facility. Texas-based 1PointFIve, STRATOS.
DAC technology, listed by the IEA as a key carbon removal option in the transition to a net-zero energy system, extracts CO2 directly from the atmosphere for use as a feedstock or permanently removed when combined with storage. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), scenarios that limit warming to 1.5°C include carbon dioxide removal methods that could reach billions of tons of removal annually over the next few decades, with the CAD positioned to potentially be responsible for a significant portion of the total.
1PointFive is currently building STRATOS in Ector County Texas, which it expects to be the world's largest DAC facility to date, designed to capture 500,000 tons of CO2 per year when fully operational.
According to the companies, the new agreement is part of AT&T's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality across its global operations by 2035. AT&T announced the goal in 2020, outlining a series of initiatives the company will pursue to reach its goal, including acceleration of energy efficiency. , virtualizing network functions and entering into renewable energy purchase agreements, as well as investing in carbon offsets to address emissions that cannot be eliminated.
Michael Avery, president and general manager of 1PointFive, said:
“The purchase of carbon removal credits from AT&T is further proof of the vital role Direct Air Capture can play in providing a durable, high-integrity solution to help organizations address their emissions.”
In addition to the new purchasing agreement, 1PointFive also announced that it has joined the Connected Climate Initiative (CCI), AT&T's collaborative project that aims to help companies reduce 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2035 through broadband-enabled climate solutions. .
Shannon Carroll, senior vice president of global environmental sustainability at AT&T, said:
“As we work toward our Gigaton goal, we know we need to find ways AT&T connectivity can enable game-changing solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at scale. Together with 1PointFive, we are committed to driving the adoption of innovative, high-impact technologies like DAC to help address climate change.”
