PlanetWEST Unveils MIDAC-G2: A "Solid" Pivot in the Battle Against Global Warming

LOS ANGELES, CA – After five decades and over $60 billion spent on traditional Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) with only marginal success, the industry is facing a reckoning. While massive carbon-gaseous capture projects struggle with high energy consumption and exorbitant operating costs—often exceeding $600 per ton—a new player is shifting the focus from gas to solids.

Today, PlanetWEST, a climatech startup, announced the successful testing of the MIDAC-G2, (pat.pend.) a revolutionary micro-Direct Air Capture (microDAC) unit designed to capture Black Carbon (BC) microparticles directly from the air using existing vehicle infrastructure.

This is a solutions-oriented pivot from traditional CCS which has been roundly criticized for the "energy paradox": the massive fans and pressurization systems required to capture gaseous CO2 often emit significant carbon themselves and in some cases even more than they capture. PlanetWEST’s Solid Carbon Capture (SCC) technology bypasses these hurdles by targeting Black Carbon, the second most potent driver of global warming that is particularly dense in urban centers where 70% of global greenhouse emissions originate.

The MIDAC-G2 Advantages:

• Seamless Integration: The unit fits onto a vehicle’s cooling radiator, utilizing the car's natural airflow to filter air without the need for additional high-energy fans.
• Infrastructure Ready: Captured solid carbon is stored in a onboard container. Drivers pump out captured carbon at the same time they pump in fuel. This transforms existing gas stations into "Carbon Hubs”.
• Cost Efficiency: While traditional DAC costs remain astronomical, the MIDAC-G2 is estimated to capture carbon at less than $30 per ton.
• Affordability: The unit is priced similarly to a catalytic converter and can be easily retrofitted to most modern vehicles.

"The world is ramping up renewables, but we need a bridge that works today," says the PlanetWEST Engineering Team. "By capturing solid particles at the source of urban density, we are offering a faster, cheaper path to cooling the planet."

About PlanetWest: PlanetWest is a California-based climate tech startup dedicated to scalable, low-cost carbon removal solutions. By focusing on Solid Carbon Capture and "Micro-CCS" technology, PlanetWest is working to clean urban environments and accelerate the path to net-zero.