Kloten ZH/Zurich – Swiss and the Lufthansa Group have concluded a cooperation agreement with Climeworks. The Zurich-based start-up has developed an innovative technology that allows carbon dioxide to be absorbed from the air. The initiative aims to achieve the airlines’ net-zero target.
Swiss International Air Lines (Swiss) and the Lufthansa Group have signed a long-term contract with Climeworks. According to a press release, the two airlines want to be the first airlines to use the innovative technology of the Zurich-based environmental company. Climeworks, a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich(ETH), has developed an advanced technology for the removal of carbon dioxide (Carbon Dioxide Removal, CDR) by direct air capture (DAC).
The parties involved in the contract have concluded an agreement until 2030 and have also held out the prospect of further targets. With this collaboration, Swiss also aims to promote the field of innovative technologies in Switzerland, according to the press release.
"We are proud to be the first airline in the world to work with Climeworks and to make a relevant contribution to scaling their technology. It will play an important role for aviation on the path towards net zero", Swiss Chief Executive Officer Dieter Vranckx is quoted as saying in the press release. "Sustainability is a growing customer requirement and a central part of our corporate strategy. In addition to our comprehensive measures to reduce CO2 emissions, we are the first airline partner of Climeworks to set an example and underline the importance of their technology for aviation."
"We are delighted to have Swiss and the Lufthansa Group as our first partners from the aviation industry for our Direct Air Capture technology," adds Jan Huckfeldt, Chief Commercial Officer of Climeworks. "Their commitment shows that there is a long-term demand for high-quality CO2 removal solutions in the aviation industry." ce/ww