Aircapture, a pioneer in modular direct air capture (DAC) technology, announced an agreement with AIZAWA Concrete Corporation, a pioneering Japanese concrete manufacturer, to deploy a DAC system at AIZAWA’s Fukushima RDM Center, the company’s research and development production hub located in Namie Town, Fukushima Prefecture. The installation marks Aircapture's first project in Japan and demonstrates how DAC technology can integrate with industrial manufacturing processes.

The partnership addresses a critical challenge that has grown more pressing in recent years: Japan's limited CO₂ supply and an unstable procurement system. Concrete manufacturers need high-purity CO₂ for production, but traditional supply chains reliant on industrial byproducts create price volatility, supply disruptions, and additional emissions.

Since launching its aNET ZERO Initiative in January 2022, AIZAWA has been leading an industry-wide movement to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2035.

The initiative now includes 55 leading Japanese concrete manufacturers, each undertaking activities in their respective regions to advance decarbonization across the cement and concrete sector.

The initiative promotes the transfer and adoption of AIZAWA’s decarbonization technologies, joint development of carbon-removal solutions, and establishment of a tamper-proof carbon-reduction tracking system using blockchain. Among these efforts, the method of permanently mineralizing CO₂ in concrete has been positioned as one of the key approaches. However, faced with supply constraints in Japan, the company has been exploring the use of direct air capture (DAC) as an alternative sourcing solution.

Aircapture's modular DAC systems offer a solution by capturing clean CO₂ on-site directly from the atmosphere. This provides manufacturers like AIZAWA with a reliable supply that supports their decarbonization goals while enabling permanent carbon sequestration in building materials.

Through this partnership, Aircapture will install its system on-site at AIZAWA’s facility, where the company has been advancing methods to permanently mineralize CO₂. The captured gas will be injected into wastewater from manufacturing operations to create calcium carbonate, which can then be reused as raw material for new concrete.

By combining DAC with these existing innovations, AIZAWA is addressing Japan's CO₂ supply challenges while advancing industrial decarbonization. This process helps cut costs by reusing waste streams, reduces the need for imported materials, lowers the carbon footprint of construction, and supports Japan’s broader efforts to decarbonize industry.

"Japan has always been at the forefront of industrial innovation, and AIZAWA shares our vision to transform the industry," said Matt Atwood, founder and CEO of Aircapture. "This partnership demonstrates how DAC can seamlessly integrate into existing manufacturing processes while creating permanent carbon sequestration. We're proving that atmospheric CO₂ has become a valuable industrial feedstock."

The project showcases Aircapture's modular approach, where containerized systems can be rapidly deployed at industrial sites. By eliminating transportation costs and emissions, the technology provides manufacturers with a reliable, on-site supply while reducing operational complexity.

The Fukushima installation creates a circular manufacturing approach where atmospheric carbon becomes a building block for construction materials, offering a model for industrial carbon utilization that can be replicated across the concrete industry.

Aircapture has projects in development across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, advancing commercially viable integration of carbon removal into existing industries. Installation is scheduled for completion by the end of 2025.

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