Remora’s Mobile Carbon Capture: Revolutionizing Semitruck Emissions
Transforming trucking fleets with innovative mobile carbon capture, making immediate impact on climate change and logistics emissions.
Remora’s Mobile Carbon Capture: Sustainable Innovation for Semi-Trucks
Remora, a Detroit-based climate technology startup, is pioneering a solution that could transform the freight industry’s carbon footprint by installing capture devices directly onto semi-trucks. This technology offers a practical answer to the high emissions from diesel-powered long-haul vehicles, which remain challenging to electrify at scale .
Why Target Semi-Trucks?
Semi-trucks are the backbone of the U.S. economy, transporting nearly everything consumers use. With about two million trucks on the road, they emit approximately 340 million tons of CO2 annually—about 5% of the country’s total output . Reducing these emissions is crucial for national climate goals, but electrification faces hurdles such as heavy batteries, loss of payload capacity, and limited range .
- Truck emissions account for 5% of U.S. CO2
- Batteries and electrification are not yet viable for heavy-duty applications
- Freight operators face regulatory and market pressure to decarbonize
How Remora’s Mobile Carbon Capture Technology Works
Remora’s device mounts on the back of a semi-truck, attaching directly to the tailpipe. As the truck operates, the system captures CO2 emissions at the source. The captured gas is then stored onboard and later offloaded when the truck refuels .
Key Technical Components
- Compressor and vacuum pumps: These components draw exhaust into the device for filtering.
- Zeolite filter: Engineered to trap CO2 efficiently while allowing filtered air, mostly nitrogen and water vapor, to be released back into the atmosphere.
- Storage tanks: Store the captured carbon dioxide until offloading.
- Automated controls: System monitors exhaust flow, tank capacity, and operating conditions to optimize efficiency.
The unit currently weighs approximately 2.5 tons empty and 4 tons full. It can capture between 60% and 80% of a truck’s CO2 emissions, with ambitions to reach up to 95% through ongoing technical refinement .
Mobile vs. Stationary Carbon Capture
| Mobile (Remora) | Stationary (Industrial) |
|---|---|
| Mounts directly on vehicles for real-time capture | Fixed at large plants; captures after concentration |
| Standardized and scalable for fleets | Custom-engineered for location |
| Deployed across many geographies quickly | Limited to stationary infrastructure |
| Can address emissions from mobile sources (trucks) | Ideal for high-volume, single-source emissions |
Economic Model and Climate Impact
Remora’s design not only reduces carbon emissions but also opens new financial opportunities for fleet owners. The company sells the captured CO2 to industrial end-users, such as concrete producers and greenhouses, sharing revenue with the trucking customers .
- Up to 169 metric tons CO2 captured per truck annually
- Potential to capture 340 million tons/year if scaled nationwide
- Revenue sharing incentivizes fleet adoption
- Captured CO2 has diverse industrial applications
According to Remora’s CEO, the climate impact of deploying a single device is equivalent to planting roughly 6,200 trees per truck annually. If scaled, the technology could make semi-trucks not just low-emissions but even carbon-negative when used with biofuels or renewable natural gas .
Remora’s Founding Team and Vision
- Paul Gross (CEO): Originated the idea at Yale; determined to address transport emissions now, not decades later .
- Christina Reynolds (CTO): Developed the technology from her groundbreaking work at University of Michigan.
- Eric Harding (Chief Engineer): Diesel semi-truck mechanic and engineer with prior experience building hydrogen and battery-electric trucks.
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The team’s collective expertise enabled them to solve key mechanical and chemical engineering challenges, making mobile carbon capture—a concept many deemed impossible—into a commercial reality .
Technical Challenges and Ongoing Refinement
Developing hardware suited for trucking fleets required overcoming issues that static industrial solutions avoid:
- Weight limits: Devices must be light enough not to significantly reduce payload.
- Volume constraints: Must fit standardized semi dimensions and not interfere with cargo operations.
- Energy consumption: Filters must work efficiently with mobile exhaust flow; currently, fuel efficiency is reduced by ~10% due to device weight and heating requirements.
- Ease of offloading: CO2 must be transferred swiftly while refueling to minimize operational downtime.
The first units are slated for deployment on customers’ trucks in late 2021, with significant backing from Silicon Valley investors and a roadmap for rapid technical improvement .
Environmental and Societal Benefits
- Immediate emissions reduction in a hard-to-decarbonize sector
- Scalable to meet national and global climate targets
- Enables new circular economy opportunities
- Supports regulatory compliance and customer ESG expectations
If Remora’s capture device is installed on all U.S. semi-trucks, the sector could achieve a dramatic and direct improvement in its carbon profile, potentially shifting the industry toward carbon neutrality, or even negativity, when paired with greener fuels .
Industrial Markets for Captured CO2
The carbon dioxide captured from trucks can be sold for various uses:
- Concrete production: CO2 can be mineralized or injected to reduce building emissions.
- Greenhouse enrichment: Used to accelerate plant growth.
- Industrial processes: As refrigerants, chemicals, and fuels.
- Enhanced oil recovery: Though controversial, another technical channel.
Deployment and Scaling: Making an Immediate Impact
Remora’s solution isn’t a future dream—it’s operational and rapidly moving toward full-scale deployment. The company sees urgent need to address truck emissions now, given the slow pace of truck electrification and policy changes .
- First customer units scheduled for rollout in late 2021
- Pursuing partnerships with major U.S. trucking fleets
- Backed by substantial venture investment
- Based out of Detroit, Michigan—a hub for automotive innovation
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How much CO2 does Remora’s device capture per truck?
A: Remora’s device can capture up to 169 metric tons of CO2 per truck every year, which is equivalent to the carbon absorption of thousands of trees .
Q: Does installing this device affect a truck’s carrying capacity?
A: The device is designed to minimize impact on payload, range, and trip time. However, its weight (2.5–4 tons depending on fill level) does slightly affect fuel efficiency, with current estimates around a 10% reduction .
Q: What happens to the captured CO2?
A: CO2 is offloaded during refueling and sold to industries such as concrete producers or greenhouses. Revenue from these sales is shared with truck fleet owners, incentivizing adoption .
Q: Is Remora’s technology applicable to other vehicles or only semi-trucks?
A: While the current design is optimized for standard North American semi-trucks, future developments may address other high-emission vehicle classes, though technical challenges scale differently with vehicle size and usage.
Q: Can this technology help make trucks carbon negative?
A: Yes. When paired with biofuel or renewable natural gas, Remora’s system can result in trucks that remove more carbon than they emit .
Future Potential and Industry Perspective
Remora’s technology addresses a large and difficult problem for climate action: decarbonizing mobile freight. By capturing CO2 where it is produced—in real time—it can quickly scale the emissions-reduction impact, leveraging existing infrastructure and industrial demand for captured carbon.
- Potentially transformative for logistics and supply chain sustainability
- Supports both climate and business objectives
- Provides a bridge solution while full electrification matures
- Strengthens partnerships between trucking, technology, and industrial sectors
Conclusion: A New Era for Freight Emissions Reduction
Remora’s mobile carbon capture brings a realistic climate solution to a sector that cannot wait for electrification or distant policy progress. By enabling trucking fleets to dramatically slash their carbon footprints and participate in a new carbon economy, Remora’s device could turn freight’s climate problem into a vital part of its solution.
For more information, visit Remora Carbon’s official resources, and follow industry updates on sustainable freight technology.
References
- https://www.promptloop.com/directory/what-does-remora-do
- https://www.mathworks.com/company/mathworks-stories/new-device-dramatically-reduces-trucks-co2-emissions.html
- https://mimfg.org/Articles/how-mobile-carbon-capture-might-save-the-world
- https://mcj.vc/portfolio/remora
- https://remoracarbon.com
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xlCicgNC5s
- https://remoracarbon.com/faq/
- https://bridgemi.com/business-watch/michigan-startup-makes-device-collects-co2-semitruck-tailpipes/
- https://sbn-detroit.org/remoras-carbon-capture-technology-targets-heavy-duty-transportation/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSrsmwrW-pQ
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