Return Carbon, in partnership with the Permian Energy Development Lab, announced the launch of the Trinity Campus, a new Direct Air Capture and carbon storage test site designed to validate emerging carbon removal technologies under real-world field conditions in the Permian Basin.

The site, located on PEDL’s 320-acre Permian Integrated Energy System in Yoakum County, will serve as a proving ground for next-generation DAC systems and support broader integrated energy development efforts. PEDL, a nonprofit consortium founded in 2023, aims to accelerate innovation across advanced energy, workforce development and regional economic growth.

“PEDL was conceived to bridge innovation and implementation,” said Dr. Derek Adams, managing director of PEDL’s PIES initiative. “By partnering with Return Carbon, we're creating the proving ground for DAC technologies that can transform the energy landscape of the Permian Basin and beyond.”

The Trinity Campus will capture and store about 10,000 tons of CO₂ annually during its initial phase, with plans to expand to between 100,000 and 500,000 tons per year in a second phase. The phased approach allows successful technologies to scale into commercial deployments across the region.

Martijn Verwoerd, managing director of Return Carbon, said the site represents a shift from conceptual carbon removal solutions to field-ready performance. “The market is moving from concepts to commercial performance, and the Permian Basin offers the perfect foundation to validate which technologies are truly ready to scale,” Verwoerd said.

PEDL and Roosevelt Resources will support the campus with power integration, water treatment systems and field-scale infrastructure. Roosevelt Resources is also developing an enhanced oil recovery and carbon sequestration initiative expected to serve as the project’s initial storage pathway.

“The Trinity Campus embodies the innovation the Permian Basin needs to stay at the forefront of global energy,” said Coleman White, who leads commercial development and project origination at Return Carbon. “By pairing new technology with the region’s deep energy expertise, we’re building a resilient and diversified revenue stream that ensures the Permian continues to lead for generations to come.”

The partners say the project will help establish standardized, independently verified testing conditions to de-risk early-stage DAC technologies, build investor confidence and accelerate commercialization across the carbon removal industry.

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Return Carbon, PEDL Launch Trinity Campus to Advance Direct Air Capture in Permian Basin

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