Climate Tech Startup Remora Captures Carbon From Trucks

A Detroit-based climate tech company, Remora, is pioneering mobile carbon capture technology for heavy-duty vehicles like trucks and trains.

Remora aims to decarbonise one of the hardest-to-electrify sectors: long-haul transport. It does this by capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from vehicle exhaust before it reaches the atmosphere, making it the first of its kind solution. 

Founded in 2020 by Paul Gross and Christina Reynolds, the company retrofits trucks and locomotives with a mobile carbon capture system that traps up to 90% of CO₂ emissions while reducing soot and particulate matter.

The system is filled with porous pellets that trap CO₂ molecules while letting clean air pass through. The use of solid adsorbents instead of traditional liquid solvents avoids the corrosion and toxicity issues that prevent many carbon capture methods from scaling.

Remora’s carbon capture system is designed to be modular, adaptable to various vehicles, and entirely manufactured in-house in Remora’s Detroit facility (Michigan, in the US), enabling rapid iteration.

The captured carbon is purified, stored onboard in liquid form, and later offloaded at truck stops or distribution centres. It is then transported to permanent storage sites or sold to industries like beverage manufacturing, greenhouses, and water treatment facilities, turning emissions into a revenue stream for operators.

The company’s adsorbent materials are designed to work efficiently in humid exhaust environments, offering a low-cost and low-maintenance alternative to traditional carbon capture solvents.

Paul Gross, who has no formal engineering background, conceived the idea after learning about the carbon shortage while noting that trucks emit over 375 million tons of CO₂ annually.

Partnering with Dr Christina Reynolds, a carbon capture expert from the University of Michigan, he formed Remora to retrofit existing heavy vehicles with emission-capturing technologies.

Y Combinator accelerated the company in early 2021, helping it scale operations and attract top engineering talent. Apart from Y Combinator, Lowercarbon Capital, and Union Square Ventures have also invested in the company.

The firm’s long-term goal is to capture one billion tons of CO₂ annually, expanding to applications in shipping, generators, cement plants, oil and gas sites, and power stations.

Carbon capture technologies are seen as pivotal for achieving net-zero emissions, especially for heavy industries and sectors challenging to electrify. The technologies involve trapping GHG emissions at the point of emission or from the air, then storing it or using it in applications, to help slow climate change and support the transition to a low-carbon future. 

Transportation is one of the world’s most significant sources of pollution and carbon emissions worldwide, affecting climate, urban air quality, and public health. According to the IPCC, the transport sector accounts for about 23-25% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions, primarily from cars, trucks, and buses. 

Remora represents a bridge technology for climate mitigation, offering an immediate solution to curb emissions from existing fossil-fuel vehicles.

Monetising captured carbon through reuse or sequestration, Remora’s carbon capture solution provides both economic and environmental incentives for transportation companies transitioning toward a low-carbon future.