Project Hajar, a collaboration between 44.01 and Aircapture, has emerged as the leading participant in the Air category of the XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition, securing a $1 million prize. This initiative showcases an impressive blend of operational readiness, integrity in long-term CO₂ storage, and scalability—traits that many carbon removal technologies are still striving to achieve.
The project utilizes Direct Air Capture (DAC) units developed by Aircapture, based in the U.S., along with 44.01’s mineralization technique, which effectively sequesters CO₂ by transforming it into rock formations underground in Fujairah, UAE.
This innovative method represents one of the few carbon removal strategies that ensures secure and lasting storage—actively extracting CO₂ from the atmosphere and sequestering it for geological timescales. In contrast to reforestation or soil carbon initiatives that may revert, mineralization inherently guarantees permanence.
Significance of the Advancement
Global carbon markets are increasingly shifting their priorities from avoidance credits to removal credits—those solutions that directly eliminate CO₂ from the atmosphere. However, many technologies in this area are still emerging or present scalability challenges.
Project Hajar serves as a notable example: a functional, modular system already operational in the field.
The recognition from the XPRIZE validates this model as one of the few demonstrating potential for near-term commercial success. As organizations and governments set their sights on net-zero goals, initiatives like Hajar’s will play a crucial role in offsetting emissions from sectors such as heavy industry and aviation that cannot completely decarbonize.
Having previously showcased mineralization processes in Oman and the UAE, 44.01 is now gearing up to expand its operations globally. The company is also backed by ADNOC and the Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation, providing further institutional support.
Business and Investment Considerations
The carbon removal market is rapidly gaining traction as a key area for climate-related investments. Major corporations—from Microsoft to Stripe—are actively seeking high-durability carbon removal credits and are prepared to pay premium prices for them.
The modular DAC systems developed by Aircapture, which are tailored for adaptable deployment and integration within industrial frameworks, enable localized and scalable applications. With both technical and commercial strategies being executed, Project Hajar is poised to capture the interest of buyers, investors, and policy decision-makers.
The XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition, sponsored by the Musk Foundation, tasked over 1,300 teams with developing solutions capable of removing CO₂ on a gigatonne scale.