A new start-up from Saudi Arabia is trying to establish the country as a global hub for permanent carbon removal, with an attempt to create an entire industry based on carbon extraction technologies from the air.
This is happening at a time when Saudi Arabia is trying to widen its overall carbon management strategy and develop technologies that would help it meet the net zero emissions target by 2060. Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage technology has been identified as an important aspect of this process.
The start-up’s strategy is aimed at growing interest in carbon removal technology, especially those which will be able to take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Such approaches are increasingly viewed as a potential tool for addressing emissions that are difficult to eliminate through conventional decarbonisation measures.
Saudi Arabia has several characteristics that could support large-scale carbon removal projects, including extensive energy infrastructure, industrial clusters and geological formations suitable for carbon storage. A Global CCS Institute assessment said the Kingdom is targeting 44 million tonnes per year of carbon capture, utilisation and storage capacity by 2035.
The Kingdom is already advancing major carbon-management infrastructure. Its Jubail carbon capture and storage hub is planned to initially handle up to 9 million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2027, while Saudi Arabia is examining the development of broader hubs around the Jubail and Yanbu industrial areas.
Research is also examining the economics of direct air capture in Saudi Arabia. A 2026 KAPSARC study found that large-scale deployment could require measures such as long-term carbon-removal purchase agreements, clearer monitoring and verification rules, green financing and streamlined project approvals.
The push is part of Saudi Arabia’s wider circular carbon economy approach, which treats carbon management as both an emissions challenge and an economic opportunity. In 2024, the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Economy and Planning launched a global challenge seeking innovative carbon capture and utilisation solutions from startups.
If the startup can scale its technology and attract investment, Saudi Arabia could strengthen its role in the emerging global carbon-removal market while building a new technology sector alongside its established energy industry.
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