In the US, medium and heavy duty trucks account for 70% of all freight transport and 6.5% of all GHG emissions. While emerging technologies like battery electric and hydrogen fuel cells have the potential to help decarbonize this sector, they are very expensive with significant efficiency trade offs on payload capacity and range. In the near term, there is a much simpler solution: capture CO2 from trucks as they drive.
This is exactly what our latest investment in our new Climate Fund is working on. Remora makes a mobile carbon capture device that mounts between the cab and trailer of semi-trucks. Remora’s solid sorbent selectively binds with CO2 and regenerates using exhaust heat, releasing compressed CO2 in the process. The retrofit device captures at least 80% of the trucks’ carbon emissions.
Drivers offload the captured CO2 in the time it takes to refuel. Remora can then sell this for use (such as concrete production) or earn credits for pumping the CO2 deep underground. When paired with biofuel, Remora’s device will even allow trucks to run carbon negative. Remora splits the revenue from the captured CO2 with their customers, so they can help companies meet their climate commitments and earn new revenue from the CO2. They are already working with some of the largest trucking companies in the US, including Ryder, NFI Industries, and Werner.
Perhaps the most impressive part of Remora is the co-founders. Paul Gross, Christina Reynolds, and Eric Harding bring years of experience leading research on mobile carbon capture and mechanical engineering in the automotive sector. The core technology was developed by Christina, a former EPA scientist, during her engineering PhD at the University of Michigan.
It’s only fitting that this team is based in the Detroit area, the heart of the American automotive industry. We are excited to partner with this incredible team on their journey to decarbonize trucking and change the future of freight along with our friends at Lower Carbon and YCombinator.