Alberta’s Carbon Capture Moment Arrives

Project Tamarack begins live carbon removal, signaling a new phase for scalable direct air capture in Canada

11 Feb 2026

A direct air capture facility in central Alberta has begun operating, marking a shift for a technology long confined to pilot plans and investor presentations.

Project Tamarack, developed by US-based CarbonCapture and deployed through True North Carbon, is now running at the Deep Sky Alpha site in Innisfail. The plant is designed to remove up to 2,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide a year from the atmosphere and store it underground.

The volume is modest compared with industrial emissions. But the project signals the move from concept to operation for a sector seeking to play a role in long-term climate targets.

Unlike carbon capture systems attached to industrial smokestacks, direct air capture draws in ambient air through large fans. Solid materials inside the units bind with carbon dioxide molecules. The gas is then compressed and injected deep into Alberta’s geological formations for permanent storage.

Tamarack’s design is based on standardised modules rather than a single large facility. Each unit can be manufactured and transported separately, allowing capacity to expand in stages as demand for verified carbon removal credits grows.

Developers argue the modular approach lowers initial capital needs and allows performance improvements over time. Operating in real world conditions also provides data on energy use, maintenance and capture efficiency, which has been limited in a sector often driven by projections.

Costs remain a central challenge. Direct air capture projects globally can cost several hundred dollars per tonne of carbon removed. Industry executives say reducing those costs will depend on stable policy frameworks, stronger carbon pricing and sustained investment in transport and storage infrastructure.

Alberta’s established energy sector and suitable geology offer advantages, particularly for underground storage. Deep Sky Alpha is designed to host multiple direct air capture technologies, allowing comparisons across systems at a single site.

The next phase for the industry will test whether such projects can scale beyond demonstration levels and achieve economic durability in competitive carbon markets.