MUSCAT: Belgian cleantech startup Sirona Technologies has launched its first Direct Air Capture (DAC) unit in Oman under Project Moringa, a pioneering initiative designed to capture and permanently store carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere. The project marks a significant milestone in the Middle East’s growing efforts to combat climate change through large-scale carbon removal and storage technologies.
Co-located across sites in Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Project Moringa combines advanced DAC technology with the region’s abundant solar energy and unique geology to deliver an end-to-end carbon removal solution. Sirona’s approach involves drawing CO₂ directly from ambient air and sequestering it through mineralisation in peridotite rock, a natural process that safely converts the gas into stable stone formations.
“After months of intense work, Project Moringa is now taking shape in the Middle East. This is our most advanced site yet,” the company said in a statement, adding that the initiative aligns with Sirona’s mission to develop scalable, nature-integrated solutions for global decarbonisation.
Turning Air into Stone
At the heart of Project Moringa lies Sirona’s solid-sorbent, temperature-vacuum swing adsorption (TVSA) technology. These solar-powered DAC modules capture CO₂ from the air and inject it into peridotite rock formations, where it reacts naturally with minerals to form carbonates. This in-situ mineralisation ensures that the captured carbon is locked away permanently, preventing it from re-entering the atmosphere.
The company has commissioned its first 300-tonne-per-year DAC unit in Oman to validate performance under real-world conditions. The pilot will serve as a proof of concept before scaling up to 1,800 tonnes per year by 2026, marking a crucial step toward large-scale deployment. “This project will demonstrate how rapidly we can scale using our modular, plug-and-play technology. It’s a major milestone as we prepare to deliver our first certified CO₂ removal credits,” Sirona added.
Modular and Scalable by Design
One of Project Moringa’s defining features is its modular architecture. Each DAC unit is designed as a container-style module, allowing for rapid production, transportation, and installation. This flexibility means that facilities can be expanded incrementally — a key advantage for scaling carbon capture operations efficiently across multiple locations.
According to Sirona, the Middle East offers ideal conditions for such systems due to its high solar potential and favorable geology. Oman, in particular, stands out for its vast peridotite deposits — a type of ultramafic rock naturally capable of absorbing and storing large volumes of CO₂.
Oman: A Global Hub for Carbon Mineralisation
Sirona’s choice of Oman underscores the country’s growing importance as a global testbed for carbon mineralisation. Oman’s unique geology makes it one of the few places on Earth where CO₂ can be naturally and permanently converted into rock at meaningful scales.
The Sultanate is already home to 44.01, an award-winning Omani climate-tech company that has gained international recognition for pioneering mineralisation projects in both Oman and the UAE. 44.01’s technology dissolves captured CO₂ in water and injects it into peridotite formations, where it transforms into solid carbonate minerals — an approach that has won global sustainability awards and contributed to verified carbon removal credits.
Supporting Oman’s Net Zero Ambitions
Project Moringa complements Oman’s broader Net Zero 2050 strategy and its commitment to developing a clean-energy ecosystem. The country’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals is actively formulating Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) policies alongside Blue Hydrogen regulations to support low-carbon industrial transformation.
By establishing itself as a regional hub for CCUS innovation, Oman is positioning its natural geological resources and renewable energy potential at the center of its climate strategy. Initiatives like Sirona’s and 44.01’s not only align with national goals but also help attract international investment in sustainable technologies.
A Step Toward a Carbon-Neutral Future
The commissioning of Project Moringa’s first DAC unit signals more than a technological achievement — it represents a shift toward scalable, verifiable carbon removal solutions that bridge natural processes and industrial innovation. As the world seeks reliable pathways to meet climate targets, combining renewable-powered carbon capture with geological storage offers a durable and scientifically sound approach to offsetting emissions.
Sirona Technologies’ expansion into the Gulf region marks an important step for both the company and the broader cleantech industry. By leveraging Oman’s unique geological advantages and the region’s renewable energy resources, Project Moringa could help define the next generation of climate mitigation infrastructure — transforming captured carbon from an environmental liability into a stable, stone-bound legacy of sustainability.
