Advancing Direct Air Capture (DAC) for Community Benefit and Climate Action

Workshop Series Overview

Direct Air Capture, commonly abbreviated as DAC, is a technology currently being developed that removes Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere by using special chemicals for filtration. Integrating community perspectives into DAC projects is crucial to ensure that DAC hubs become community assets, supporting communities’ visions for the future and addressing local concerns. Here's a video and an article introducing DAC.

Our Community DAC Workshops are designed to deepen understanding of Direct Air Capture and foster collaboration between community leaders and the researchers, technology specialists, project developers, and government agencies that typically lead DAC design, development, and deployment.

Co-sponsored by the Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems, Direct Air Capture Center, Renewable Bioproducts Institute, and Strategic Energy Institute at Georgia Tech.

Approximately 8 workshops will be offered between September 2024 and May 2025. The 2024 workshop schedule is below. The 2025 schedule will be released in December. Workshops are free and open to the public but require registration. We aim to attract a diverse group of people from across the sectors mentioned above.

DAC Technology in Development: Community and Environmental Justice Considerations

Wednesday, September 25, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. EST (in-person)

Tour a Georgia Tech DAC research lab developing wind-driven DAC and fiber spinning and then engage in discussion about community and environmental justice questions related to scaling and siting these types of technologies in communities.
Facilitated by Yomi Noibi from ECO-Action and the Georgia Tech SCoRE External Advisory Council, Micah Ziegler and Jennifer Hirsch from Georgia Tech, and the Georgia Tech Direct Air Capture Center
 

DAC Ecosystem Innovation for Environmental Justice

Thursday, November 7, 1 - 3 p.m. EST (virtual)
Deadline to register: Nov. 27, 9 a.m.

Learn the basics of DAC and work in small groups to brainstorm innovative ideas for developing, designing, and deploying DAC to advance community priorities, equity, and environmental justice. No previous knowledge of DAC necessary.
Facilitated by Garry Harris from the Center for Sustainable Communities & Matthew Reichert from the University of South Alabama
 

Community Benefits Plans: U.S. Dep't of Energy (DOE) Perspective and Examples

Tuesday, December 3, 1 - 3 p.m. EST (virtual)

Deadline to register: Nov. 27, 9 a.m.

Learn about the community benefits, labor, and engagement expectations of DOE projects and examples of real Community Benefits Commitments for DOE-awarded DAC projects at various stages of project development.
Featuring Beth Weed, Claire Kendall, Jill Capotosto, and James Winters from the DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED).
 

Crowd-source Key Takeaways and Plan Spring Semester

Tuesday, December 17, 2 - 3:30 p.m. EST (virtual)

Deadline to register: Dec. 11, 9 a.m.

This workshop will review and discuss key takeaways from our work together to date and facilitate discussion about what we want to do together in the spring.  The workshop will be very interactive.  This is an opportunity for collective learning and to provide input into the topics for Spring Semester workshops.  We will plan upcoming workshops based partly on this conversation.  You do not have to have attended any previous workshops to participate - all are welcome!
Facilitated by Jennifer Hirsch and Matthew Realff from Georgia Tech
 
Workshops will be designed as stand-alone sessions, but participants who attend 4 or more workshops and complete a final deliverable will be eligible to receive a Georgia Tech digital badge of completion. Final deliverables will be designed through consultation with Georgia Tech SCoRE to advance each participant’s individual learning and action goals.

Value for Attendees

Learn About DAC

Learn about Direct Air Capture (DAC) at the intersection of technology, community and environmental justice.

Collaborate Across Sectors

Engage in meaningful dialogue and activities with people from different communities and sectors to expand your networks and create an unlikely coalition of people committed to centering the community in climate action.

Develop Innovative Pathways

Work together to push innovative concepts for designing and deploying DAC to advance communities’ equity, social justice, and environmental justice priorities.