Carbon America
Carbon America is a vertically integrated "super developer" that finances, builds, and operates carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects for industrial emitters, using its proprietary FrostCC™ cryogenic capture technology to serve ethanol, cement, steel, and DAC customers across the U.S.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersArvada, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Carbon America does
Carbon America (legal entity Carbon Capture America, Inc.) is a vertically integrated carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) developer founded in 2019 and headquartered in Arvada, Colorado. The company operates as a "super developer," managing the full CO2 capture-transport-storage value chain for industrial emitters — from site screening and technology selection through construction, operation, and project closure — and provides up to 100% of project equity along with structured project financing. Its primary customers are industrial point-source emitters, with the current commercial pipeline concentrated in U.S. ethanol/biofuel producers (Yuma Ethanol and Sterling Ethanol in Colorado targeting 350,000 tons CO2/year combined; Bridgeport Ethanol in Nebraska targeting 175,000 tons CO2/year, expected operational in 2025) and expansion planned into cement, steel, and power via the DOE CarbonSAFE-funded Project Eos and into Direct Air Capture via the Colorado and Florida Regional DAC Hub feasibility studies.
The company's core proprietary technology is FrostCC™, a chemical-free, water-free, fully electric post-combustion cryogenic carbon capture system that compresses, cools, and expands flue gas to cause CO2 to desublimate ("frost") out of the gas stream. FrostCC uses standard industrial turbomachinery (compressors/expanders similar to air-separation equipment), enabling factory fabrication for high-volume production, and is reported to achieve up to 99% CO2 capture while also removing co-pollutants. In August 2024, the technology completed 1,000+ hours of continuous operation at the National Carbon Capture Center in Wilsonville, Alabama, achieving TRL 6.
Carbon America is a private, venture-backed company. It closed a $30 million Series A round in December 2021 from multiple strategic partners and has since secured roughly $35.6 million in U.S. Department of Energy awards (CarbonSAFE and Regional DAC Hubs). The leadership team comprises CEO Brent Lewis, CTO Miles Abarr, CCFO Cruz Gamboa, COO Craig Spreadbury, and VP of Commercial Development & Technology Ventures Kevin Pykkonen. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is project-specific, with revenue (also not disclosed) expected to ramp as the Bridgeport and other ethanol CCS projects move into operation in 2025 and beyond.
Carbon America firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Carbon America
- Legal name
- Carbon Capture America, Inc.
- Website
- https://carbonamerica.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Carbon America is a vertically integrated "super developer" that finances, builds, and operates carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects for industrial emitters, using its proprietary FrostCC™ cryogenic capture technology to serve ethanol, cement, steel, and DAC customers across the U.S.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Carbon America industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) Services
- NAICS
- Biomass Electric Power Generation (221117)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Carbon Removal Project Development, Financing & Offtake (Developers, Aggregators, Buyers Clubs) (EUABAFAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Carbon Offtake Structuring & Contracting (ERPA, Long-term Offtakes, Price Floors) (EUABADAE)
Keywords
Where Carbon America is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Arvada
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Carbon America business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- CCS Project Development and Ownership: Carbon America finances, builds, owns and operates CCS systems for partners. They provide the complete CO2 capture-transport-storage value chain service, turning complex multi-faceted CCS undertakings into comprehensive simple solutions. They can provide up to 100% of project equity as well as structure and originate project financing.
- Vertically Integrated Super Developer Model: The company manages and takes responsibility for every aspect of CCS projects - capture technology selection, transportation logistics, geologic sequestration site management, tax equity, permitting, project financing, and qualification for incentives. Revenue is generated through the service of carbon capture provided to emitters.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Carbon America product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Carbon America is a vertically integrated Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) "super developer" that finances, builds, owns, and operates end-to-end CCS projects for industrial emitters such as ethanol, cement, steel, and power plants. The company's core proprietary technology, FrostCC™, is a chemical-free, water-free, fully electric cryogenic carbon capture system that achieves up to 99% CO2 capture by causing CO2 to desublimate (frost) from flue gas, while also removing co-pollutants. Carbon America can fund up to 100% of project equity and manages permitting, tax equity, project financing, transportation, and geologic sequestration across the full CO2 capture-transport-storage value chain.
Product overview
Carbon America operates as a vertically integrated 'super developer' offering end-to-end Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) services. Their core proprietary technology is FrostCC™, a cryogenic post-combustion carbon capture system that is chemical-free, water-free, and modular. The company manages the complete CO₂ value chain from screening through project closure. Their project portfolio includes ethanol plant CCS projects (Yuma Ethanol, Sterling Ethanol, Bridgeport Ethanol), Direct Air Capture hubs (Colorado Regional DAC Hub, Florida Regional DAC Hub), and the DOE-funded Project Eos for geologic carbon storage in Southern Colorado. Together these initiatives aim to capture hundreds of thousands of tons of CO2 annually from both industrial point sources and ambient air.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FrostCC: Proprietary cryogenic carbon capture technology that uses a novel post-combustion process to capture CO2 and other pollutants by causing them to frost out of flue gas through compression, cooling, and expansion. The technology is chemical-free, water-free, and achieves up to 99% CO2 capture.
Products and services
- FrostCC™ Cryogenic Carbon Capture System Proprietary cryogenic post-combustion carbon capture system that compresses, cools, and expands flue gas to cause CO2 to desublimate (frost out) into a solid phase. Chemical-free, water-free, fully electric-driven, factory-fabricated, modular and scalable. Captures up to 99% of CO2 while removing co-pollutants, using standard industrial turbomachinery similar to air compressors and expanders. Sold/licensed as Carbon America's own capture technology for industrial power and process plants.
- Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) Services Full-service, vertically integrated CCS offering that manages the entire CO2 capture-transport-storage value chain from screening through development, construction, operation and project closure. Carbon America acts as a 'super developer' providing project ownership, capture technology selection, transportation logistics, geologic sequestration site management, permitting, tax equity, project financing (up to 100% of project equity), and incentive qualification for industrial emitters.
- Project Eos Commercial Carbon Storage Hub Commercial-scale carbon storage hub project for Southern Colorado targeting reduction of industrial emissions from cement, steel, and power plant operations. Part of DOE's CarbonSAFE initiative to develop commercial carbon storage infrastructure.
- Yuma Ethanol CCS Project Carbon capture and storage project at the Yuma Ethanol Plant in Colorado, capturing 95% of annual CO2 emissions during the fermentation process. Combined with the Sterling Ethanol project, targets 350,000 tons of CO2 removal annually.
- Sterling Ethanol CCS Project Carbon capture and storage project at the Sterling Ethanol Plant in Colorado, capturing 95% of annual CO2 emissions during fermentation. Combined with the Yuma Ethanol project, targets 350,000 tons of CO2 removal annually.
- Bridgeport Ethanol CCS Project First commercial CCS project in Nebraska, located at the Bridgeport Ethanol Plant, capturing 95% of annual CO2 emissions during fermentation. Targets 175,000 tons of CO2 removal annually, expected operational in 2025.
- Colorado Regional Direct Air Capture (DAC) Hub DOE-funded Direct Air Capture hub project near Pueblo, Colorado, exploring DAC technologies to capture CO2 from the atmosphere with a goal of 50,000 metric tons of CO2 captured annually, integrated with geologic storage and clean energy inputs.
- Florida Regional Direct Air Capture (DAC) Hub DOE-funded Direct Air Capture hub project in the Florida panhandle exploring DAC technologies to capture CO2 from the atmosphere, with CO2 storage capacity explored in the Tuscaloosa Group geological formation.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 99% CO2 capture efficiency
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Carbon America
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Carbon America technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Carbon America partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SvantecoreCarbon America and Svante announced collaboration in May 2023 to accelerate carbon capture deployment in the U.S. Svante provides solid-state sorbent-based carbon capture technology.
- Colorado School of MinescoreColorado School of Mines and Carbon America were awarded $32.6M from DOE's CarbonSAFE initiative for Project Eos to study geologic storage potential near Pueblo, Colorado. Project Eos is developing a commercial carbon storage hub for Southern Colorado to reduce industrial emissions from cement, steel and power plant operations.
- Los Alamos National LaboratorycoreLANL partnered with Carbon America and Colorado School of Mines on the $32.6M DOE CarbonSAFE award for Project Eos, contributing to geologic storage potential studies for Southern Colorado.
- University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaigncoreUIUC leads feasibility studies for Regional DAC Hubs including the Colorado and Florida DAC Hub projects that Carbon America is collaborating on.
- SustaeracoreSustaera provides DAC technology for the Colorado Regional DAC Hub feasibility study. Their capture approach was a $1M Milestone Prize winner in the X-Prize Carbon Removal Competition.
- General Electric ResearchcoreGE Research provides DAC technologies for feasibility analyses at the Colorado and Florida Regional DAC Hubs in partnership with Sustaera and Heirloom respectively.
- NextEra EnergycoreNextEra Energy provides clean energy inputs for DAC operation in both Colorado and Florida DAC Hub projects. Has approximately 65 GW of generating capacity in North America with growing wind and solar portfolio.
- HeirloomcoreHeirloom provides DAC technology for the Florida Regional DAC Hub. Their technology accelerates the natural process of capturing CO2 in limestone, one of the most abundant rocks on the planet.
- National Carbon Capture CentercoreThe NCCC in Wilsonville, Alabama served as the testing facility for Carbon America's FrostCC technology engineering-scale pilot, achieving 1,000 hours of carbon capture operation.
- Visage EnergyminorPartner for developing Community Benefits Plans for DAC Hub projects, specializing in stakeholder engagement for clean energy and carbon management technology projects.
- Ecotek EngineeringminorProvides engineering services and local procurement for the Colorado DAC Hub project.
- Kiewit CorpminorProvides engineering services and local procurement for the Colorado DAC Hub project.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Carbon America competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Summit Carbon Solutions: Summit Carbon Solutions is a CCS developer building a large CO₂ pipeline network serving U.S. ethanol and industrial emitters — directly comparable to Carbon America's vertically integrated CCS super-developer model and shared ethanol-sector customer focus.
- Navigator CO2 Ventures (Heartland Greenway): Navigator CO2 Ventures develops CCS pipelines capturing biogenic CO₂ from ethanol plants across the Midwest — a directly comparable CCS developer with the same ethanol-fermentation customer base as Carbon America's Yuma, Sterling, and Bridgeport projects.
- Talos Low Carbon Solutions: Talos Low Carbon Solutions is developing dedicated CO₂ storage hubs and CCS project integration for industrial emitters, comparable to Carbon America's CCS developer role and shared focus on geologic sequestration hubs.
- Svante: Svante develops solid-sorbent carbon capture technology and is both a Carbon America technology partner and a competing point-source CCS capture provider — directly comparable on carbon capture technology and industrial-emitter customer focus.
- CarbonCapture Inc. CarbonCapture Inc. develops solid-sorbent carbon capture systems and full CCS project integration for industrial emitters, directly competing with Carbon America's FrostCC technology in the post-combustion capture market.
- Carbon Clean: Carbon Clean develops amine-based post-combustion carbon capture technology and full CCS project solutions for industrial emitters, directly competing with FrostCC in point-source capture applications.
Emerging players
- Climeworks: Climeworks is a leading direct air capture developer and a key player in the same DOE Regional DAC Hubs program in which Carbon America is participating — comparable in DAC project development and geologic storage integration strategy.
- Heirloom Carbon Technologies: Heirloom provides DAC technology for the Florida Regional DAC Hub alongside Carbon America, using limestone-based capture — directly comparable in DAC technology integration within the same federal hub initiative.
Broad incumbents
- 1PointFive (Occidental): 1PointFive is Occidental's large-scale DAC and CCS business, building Stratos — the world's largest DAC facility. It overlaps with Carbon America in DAC project development and 45Q-driven CO₂ sequestration economics, but at substantially greater scale.
Others
- Chart Industries: Chart Industries manufactures cryogenic process equipment and heat exchangers used across CO₂ capture, processing, and liquefaction — directly comparable as the underlying industrial turbomachinery supplier base that FrostCC leverages and as a CCS-adjacent equipment provider.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Carbon America social profiles
Digital presenceCarbon America financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Carbon America leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Carbon America funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Carbon America M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Carbon America
What does Carbon America do?
Carbon America is a vertically integrated Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) "super developer" that finances, builds, owns, and operates end-to-end CCS projects for industrial emitters such as ethanol, cement, steel, and power plants. The company's core proprietary technology, FrostCC™, is a chemical-free, water-free, fully electric cryogenic carbon capture system that achieves up to 99% CO2 capture by causing CO2 to desublimate (frost) from flue gas, while also removing co-pollutants. Carbon America can fund up to 100% of project equity and manages permitting, tax equity, project financing, transportation, and geologic sequestration across the full CO2 capture-transport-storage value chain.
Is Carbon America a public or private company?
Carbon America is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Carbon America founded?
Carbon America was founded in 2019. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Carbon America based?
Carbon America is headquartered in Arvada, United States, in the North America region.
How does Carbon America make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. CCS Project Development and Ownership is the primary driver. The others are vertically Integrated Super Developer Model.
Who are Carbon America's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Summit Carbon Solutions, Navigator CO2 Ventures (Heartland Greenway), Talos Low Carbon Solutions, Svante, CarbonCapture Inc. and Carbon Clean. Emerging players are Climeworks and Heirloom Carbon Technologies. 1PointFive (Occidental) is listed as a broad incumbent. Chart Industries is listed as an others.
Does Carbon America have an API?
No public API is recorded for Carbon America.
What industry is Carbon America in?
Carbon America's product category is Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUABAFAL, Carbon Removal Project Development, Financing & Offtake (Developers, Aggregators, Buyers Clubs), with a secondary code of EUABADAE, Carbon Offtake Structuring & Contracting (ERPA, Long-term Offtakes, Price Floors). Its NAICS code is 221117.