ASU, Partners Look to Develop Four Corners Direct Air Carbon Capture Hub

It’s no secret that the world has fallen behind on progress needed to achieve the goals of keeping global warming at less than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Peter Schlosser, vice provost and vice president of the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University (ASU), told NM Political Report that reducing emissions is no longer going to cut it. Carbon dioxide needs to be removed from the atmosphere.

To do that, ASU and its partners, including the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech), are looking at a somewhat controversial technology known as direct air capture. New Mexico Tech and others have been exploring the geology of northwestern New Mexico for years to find good reservoirs for carbon sequestration.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) provided ASU and its partners with $11.2 million in grant funding to create a direct air capture hub in the Four Corners region that includes a site in northwestern New Mexico.

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Why the Southwest?

Schlosser said it made sense for ASU to look in the Southwest for a location for the hub. The other two sites are in Arizona and Utah.

The carbon dioxide taken out of the atmosphere will be either sequestered in underground reservoirs or, Schlosser said, the group will explore how the carbon dioxide could be put to beneficial use.

He said some possible uses include:

• Use in greenhouses
  
• Concrete production
  
• Drink carbonation
  

Addressing Direct Air Capture Criticism

Critics of direct air capture argue that it is costly, and that projects have not yet managed to capture the amount of carbon dioxide promised. Furthermore, critics say focusing on solutions like direct air capture can distract from the need to cut fossil fuel use.

In 2023, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists published an article calling direct air capture “an expensive, dangerous distraction from real climate solutions.”

Schlosser is well aware of those criticisms, but he said all technologies start out expensive. He explained that the costs of direct air capture will go down with time and that the technology’s effectiveness will improve.

He said the only other way to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is through increasing vegetation. However, that has its limitations.

"In the end, this is a trillion-dollar industry waiting to be built," he said.

But he also noted that fears of risks might prevent industry groups from investing— which is why it is important for institutions like ASU to take the lead early on.

Economic and Environmental Benefits

"Direct air capture is now a necessity if we are to manage CO₂ levels in the atmosphere," said Gary Dirks, ASU principal investigator for the project, senior director with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory and director of LightWorks.

"This project lays the foundation for technologies and storage facilities to scale together," Dirks said. "At the same time, the project lays the foundation for a new industry that can provide much-needed employment and a robust tax base for rural communities."

A Boost for the Four Corners Region

Communities in the Four Corners region are likely to welcome the direct air capture project.

San Juan County Manager Mike Stark said that while the northwest corner of New Mexico has traditionally been known for fossil fuel production, the county is supportive of various forms of energy and projects that support economic development.

This is especially important as the county transitions away from fossil fuel jobs—at least in the coal sector.

The loss of workers at power plants is one reason why ASU is looking at the Four Corners region.

The San Juan Generating Station is not the only coal-fired power plant in the region that has closed in recent years:

• In 2019, the Navajo Generating Station in Arizona closed.
  
• In 2020, the Escalante Power Plant in McKinley County shuttered.
  
• The Four Corners Power Plant is scheduled to close in 2031.
  

Each of these past closures has resulted in economic impacts on the region.

A Center for Innovation

Stark said having a hub or a center of excellence in a potential new technology could benefit the economy in various ways, including bringing people from around the world to the Four Corners to learn about direct air capture.

He also emphasized the benefits for students, saying that it could provide them with training opportunities.

While Enchant Energy was looking at retrofitting the San Juan Generating Station with carbon capture technology, San Juan College started a program to train students to work in carbon capture trades.

"We’ve always felt like we’ve been an energy hub here in San Juan County, given where we were at with coal-fired power and oil and gas opportunities," Stark said. "Those are still going to remain in some form or fashion, but now we’re adding and diversifying other energy opportunities."

He gave examples of:

• Solar
  
• Hydrogen
  
• Carbon sequestration
  

All of which the county has been working to attract.

Climate Change Is Already Here

While the Four Corners looks at ways to diversify the economy, direct air capture focuses on addressing climate change.

Schlosser said people are already seeing the impacts of climate change in the form of:

• Droughts
  
• Wildfires
  
• Floods
  

He pointed to examples like:

• Flooding in Asheville, North Carolina in September 2024
  
• Wildfires in Los Angeles in 2025
  
• Phoenix experiencing 113 consecutive days of temperatures higher than 100 degrees
  

"We are seeing it and we are feeling it," he said. "Not just here, but around the world."