Canada Bets Big on Carbon Capture with Record-Breaking Gigafactory in British Columbia
In a bold step toward industrial decarbonization and global climate leadership, Canada has unveiled the world’s largest gigafactory dedicated to manufacturing carbon capture filters, a move poised to reshape the future of emissions reduction. Located in Burnaby, British Columbia, the newly inaugurated Redwood Manufacturing Facility by Svante Technologies positions Canada at the forefront of the global carbon capture and storage (CCS) industry, which is projected to grow into a €23 billion market by 2033.
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Inside the Redwood Facility: A Revolution in CO2 Capture Technology
A 113,000 m² Plant Built for Climate-Scale Solutions
The Redwood Manufacturing Facility spans 113,000 square meters and is the first of its kind to focus exclusively on the production of industrial-scale CO2 filters. These filters are designed to capture up to 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to the emissions of roughly 27 million gasoline-powered vehicles.
The Science Behind the Filters: Metal-Organic Frameworks
At the heart of Svante’s breakthrough technology are Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs)—highly porous materials with remarkable CO2 trapping abilities. These filters are:
- Reusable and regenerable, lowering both environmental and economic costs
- Produced in a standardized cartridge format, ready for easy integration into industrial stacks
Industries like cement, steel, and natural gas-powered plants are the primary beneficiaries of these modular carbon-capture systems, which can be installed directly into existing emission pathways.
Mass Production Meets Climate Urgency
Automation Drives Down Costs
Svante’s CEO, Claude Letourneau, praised the Redwood facility as a milestone in climate tech innovation, stating: “This production site demonstrates what’s possible when technology meets climate urgency.” With fully automated assembly lines, the facility enables mass production that significantly lowers capture costs—historically one of the main obstacles to carbon capture adoption.
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Strategic Investments Signal Strong Market Confidence
Over €134 Million in Funding Secured
The Redwood gigafactory is backed by approximately €134 million in investments from a diverse coalition of strategic partners, including:
- Chevron New Energies
- GE Vernova
- Samsung
- Temasek
- United Airlines Ventures
- Canada Growth Fund
This global financial support reflects growing confidence in carbon capture as a critical pillar of climate strategy, particularly for industries where electrification is not yet viable.
Real-World Impact: From Canadian Cement to California Oil Fields
Svante’s technology is already proving effective in commercial deployments. Key examples include:
- Chevron’s Kern River facility in California
- Lafarge’s Richmond cement plant in Canada, as part of the CO₂MENT project
- Climeworks’ direct air capture installations, which use next-generation Svante filters that consume 50 percent less energy
These deployments demonstrate the scalability and versatility of Svante’s MOF-based filters across a wide range of applications, from capturing emissions at the source to removing carbon directly from the atmosphere.
A Growing Global Market: The Race to Capture Carbon
Carbon Capture Projects Accelerate Worldwide
Canada’s Redwood gigafactory joins a rapidly expanding global network of CCS projects. Notable international efforts include:
- Northern Lights (Europe): A joint venture by Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies to store 5 million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2028
- Project Greensand (Denmark): Aiming for 8 million tonnes of CO2 storage capacity per year by 2030
- Bonaparte CCS (Australia): Targeting 10 million tonnes per year by 2030
Cross-Border Collaboration on the Rise
Countries are also engaging in cross-border carbon management strategies. For example, the Netherlands and Norway are developing submarine pipelines for shared CO2 storage. Meanwhile, Iceland’s Mammoth project and China’s upcoming CCS hubs highlight how climate innovation is gaining momentum across continents.
Complementing Electrification: Why Carbon Capture Still Matters
While electric vehicles (EVs) are an essential part of decarbonization, their limitations in extreme climates underscore the need for complementary solutions. A recent Norwegian Automobile Association study revealed significant range reductions in EVs during cold weather, reinforcing the importance of technologies like CCS for areas and sectors where electrification alone is not sufficient.
Canada’s Carbon Capture Moment: Leading the Industrial Transition
The launch of the Redwood Manufacturing Facility marks a turning point in Canada’s climate and industrial strategy. By focusing on economically viable, scalable carbon capture, the nation is positioning itself as a global leader in sustainable manufacturing and clean technology.
As the world races to meet carbon neutrality goals, Canada’s investment in industrial-scale CO2 filter production could become a defining force in the decades-long fight against climate change—providing tools that help the world decarbonize without slowing down economic development.
The Burnaby gigafactory is more than a milestone—it’s a model for how nations can leverage technology, industry, and global collaboration to build a climate-positive economy. As countries tighten emissions policies and invest in carbon reduction, Canada’s leadership in CCS manufacturing offers a blueprint for industrial transformation in the era of climate urgency.