The Climate Cycle

Capturing Carbon in the North with Dr. Vida Gabriel from TerraFixing

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In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Vida Gabriel, co-founder and COO of TerraFixing.

TerraFixing has engineered the only Direct Air Carbon Capture (DAC) technology to capture CO2 in cold climates. Because of their unique cold climate technology, they enable northern mines and the underserved indigenous communities nearby to fully decarbonize and achieve energy independence.

Dr. Vida Gabriel, co-founder and COO of TerraFixing, is an entrepreneur tackling climate change and is recognized in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. With a PhD in sustainable chemical reaction engineering and almost a decade of engineering research experience, she is leading innovation to develop the first ever cold-climate direct air carbon capture (DAC) technology – a direct means for Canada to reach our net-zero targets.

In this episode, we cover:

  • [2:00] The origins of TerraFixing and why they're pursuing a physical, adsorption-based method of removing carbon
    • [4:25] Vida's pivot from biodegradable plastics to carbon removal
    • [7:10] The advantages of working in cold climates
    • [11:21] Partnering with Tugliq to unlock renewable energy investments in the North
    • [15:19] Why carbon removal is so deeply intertwined with the energy system
    • [17:47] Unpacking common criticisms of carbon removal and why we need it
    • [26:38] Building a hardtech company out of a university lab & what needs to improve in the ecosystem
    • [32:43] Advice to get started in carbon removal

      • Episode Links

      • TerraFixing
      • Tugliq Energie
      • SDTC Seed Fund
      • Carbon Unbound
      • Carbon Business Council
      • AirMiners
      • Speed and Scale by John Doerr
      • Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell
      • Unwinding Anxiety by Judson Brewer

        • If you liked this episode, please leave a review! You can also send feedback and ideas for future episodes to [email protected].

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        The Climate CycleBy Climate Tech Canada