Technology companies poured money on carbon removal projects now in Cross Trump

The technology industry has defended the development of new technologies that filter the carbon dioxide from the air as a way to try to retract the damage caused by the emissions of heating the planet. Over the past few years, they have released a large number of wonderful ads to finance these types of projects, which are called Direct Air Capture (Dac).

It is compatible with the attempt of Joe Biden to combat climate change by converting the Federal dollar into regional centers of DAC. Now there is a new president in the city Climate change is a hoax and wants to “drill, child, pits”. The latest attempts by the Donald Trump administration to kill energy and clean climate initiatives to reduce federal financing last week for at least 10 DAC centers.

It comes at a turning point for American technology companies, as their obsession with artificial intelligence creates more carbon pollution. It raises questions about the amount they will be able to rely on carbon removal projects in the United States to achieve their sustainability goals as the Trump administration is trying to make the country uncontrolled as climate startups as possible.

Big names including Microsoft and Amazon I have already made great commitments to carbon removal projects in the United States. “I imagine that they will spend this money, and that they are already committed to this,” says Irene Burns, CEO of carbon 180 non -profit, who calls for carbon removal. freedom. “The question is that they will spend on the projects that were built here in the United States? Or will they spend it elsewhere?”

US Department of Energy Declare Last week, about $ 7.5 billion in financial prizes will end for 223 clean energy and climate projects. A spreadsheet recounts the names of those who lost the financing, which the agency shared with the legislators and obtained before freedom And other media outlets, confirming that at least 10 DAC axes have been completed.

This includes Grant California -based CarbonCapture has received its headquarters to conduct a new DAC engineering study in Louisiana. Microsoft signed deal With carbon in 2023 To decline in carbon pollution As part of the goal of the technology giant of ultimately negative carbon.

Carbon Declare Bloomberg Last week, the first commercial project from Arizona will be transferred to Alberta, Canada. This decision was months of decision -making freedomAfter they started seeing DAC wall writing in the United States after the elections. Trump fy2026 budget an offer Issued in May He called for ending funding to remove carbon dioxide from the air, describing it as part of a “new green fraud”.

when freedom She talked to Corless late on Friday, and the company did not receive confirmation from the Ministry of Energy that its granting may be beyond the spreadsheet that was issued to some legislators and pressure groups. But after the news, he says: “He is no longer on the right track to do a project in Louisiana” if there is a lack of funding. CarbonCApture was also a partner in a suggested similar DAC project in California and Illinois that were finished granting, as well as another project in Arizona, which was not on the list of financing loss,

When it comes to financing discounts as a whole to remove carbon, he adds: “It is clear that it will restore the United States in terms of the position of leadership it has gained over the past four years in this particular area.”

Microsoft was to become one of The first agent to Federal financing DAC Center In Louisiana is being developed by two other companies. In 2022, Biden Administration The program launched $ 3.5 billion To build regional direct air capture axes throughout the United States. It is worth noting that some axes that are more development – as well as projects supported by oil and gas companies, including Chevron and West Petroleum (Oxy) – He was not on the Grants List that decided to end last week.

Carbon captured can be used in a process called improved oil to push more difficult reserves from the ground. Earlier this year, Oxidental He said in a profit call that she expects carbon removal to help extract tens of billions of oil barrels And he had “several talks” with the president about the “state of work” to remove carbon.

The 1POINTFIVE sub -company is developing a huge project in King The Ministry of Energy, under Biden administration, also chose to finance it One of the first DAC centers. Amazon announced a deal To buy 250,000 metric tons of carbon removal from 1 point in 2023.

The smaller Dac companies, which may depend on federal financing more than the large fossil fuel company that has more capital to pump projects, is now facing the strongest opposite wind in the United States. “Unless you have a capital capacity, like oxygen, it will be really difficult … as you know, they are actually moving to a postpartum stage.”

The Trump administration’s targeted attacks add to other challenges that the emerging carbon removal industry still faces, such as whether it can be affordable Dac and sustainable in view of the amount of energy required by technology. CarbonCapture canceled another of its projects in Wyoming last year, noting enough insurance issues Electricity quickly for the facility.

At the same time, technology companies including Microsoftand AmazonAnd Google This has turned into Dac to try to reduce their carbon emissions already, and the effects of their carbon feet have seen growing in recent years despite their declared climatic goals. While building data centers Packed with more powerful and more energy -attractive devices to support new artificial intelligence toolsThe puzzle that are deeper. Some environmental defenders have always been skeptical in DAC, worried that companies would bet on them as a quick solution instead of focusing on reducing their emissions in the first place.

Other climate advocates claim that humans have already created a lot of carbon pollution to ignore it, and that removing carbon is an essential tool for stopping climate change. While the Trump administration declined environmental protection after She told her employees to avoid using the term “climate change” It seems that there will be more carbon cleaning.

The Ministry of Energy financing was largely considered to be another party attack against the countries led by the Democrats, which is home to most projects as fighting in the budget of Congress and the resulting government. close Complete. The proposal of the House of Representatives budget for the fiscal year 26 sought to cancel the billion dollars for the Dac Hubs program.

But the Ministry of Energy discounts affect projects through red cases as well Heat map It indicates its reports. The carbon grant that was canceled as the California project is listed on the spreadsheet, although it was supposed to fall into Louisiana. Dac was not targeted. The canceled grants run a series of Hydrogen fuel centers For turbines and battery manufacture.

Burns says it is a blow to the American innovation in all these industries. “It gives up a great advantage in our United States, right? … We are superior to the ball, I think, I don’t drop it.”