By Ross McKenzie, EVP and Co-Leader at Elimini
For companies – especially in sectors like technology, aviation, and heavy industry – decarbonization is no longer a distant goal; it's a boardroom imperative. However, many face hard limits: soaring energy costs that can't be paused, supply chains that can’t be swapped overnight, and emissions that current technologies can’t yet eliminate.
That’s why companies are integrating carbon dioxide removals (CDRs) into their broader business strategies – and those who act early stand to benefit the most. CDRs have quickly transitioned from theoretical to practical, from niche to mainstream.
As the removals market matures, customer and regulatory expectations of corporations tighten, and as climate change intensifies, the case for early action is now becoming both a climate imperative and a business necessity.
Making CDRs a Boardroom Priority
The voluntary carbon market offers organizations an opportunity to get ahead. Early investment in high-integrity CDRs helps secure future supply, supports scalability of the market, and offers long-term cost advantages.
Today’s buyers will lock in current prices and shield themselves from future volatility and upward pressure on costs as supply tightens and demand grows. These early buyers will set the cost curve, shaping how projects are financed and priced in the future, and underwriting the growth of the market.
Voluntary CDR investments also create a reputational point of differentiation. They build loyalty among climate-conscious customers and demonstrate meaningful action to regulators and investors. For some companies, they may even reinforce their social license to operate.
This is especially true for industries under acute pressure. For example:
- Tech organizations are rapidly developing and operating data centres underpinning modern technologies like AI, which demand vast amounts of energy – in some cases, targeting gigawatt scale. With renewable generation struggling to keep pace, businesses must find alternatives to power their growth responsibly to meet consumer and investor expectations.
- In aviation, sustainable fuels are scaling too slowly to counter emissions growth from increased travel, while scrutiny from the public and regulators continues to mount.
- In hard-to-abate sectors, like manufacturing, where electrification is either cost-prohibitive or technically unfeasible, carbon removals offer a bridge to future-proof operations and meet low-carbon product demand.
These pressures are all occurring against a backdrop of intensifying climate challenges. With fossil fuel use on the rise and extreme weather events becoming more frequent and destructive, business as usual is no longer an option.
CDRs offer companies the ability to contribute to climate solutions today while positioning themselves competitively for tomorrow.
BECCS: Available and Scalable Today
Among the engineered carbon removals available today, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) stands out for its unique ability to bridge critical gaps in the energy and removals markets.
BECCS produces 24/7 renewable electricity – a critical need, particularly for energy-intensive sectors – while permanently storing biogenic carbon from the atmosphere. It’s deployment-ready, cost-effective thanks to its three-pronged revenue model, and it delivers net-negative emissions. This combination of firm power and durable removals makes BECCS one of the most compelling and scalable climate technologies available today.
Voluntary carbon market (VCM) trends validate this: in Q2 of this year, BECCS made up 74 percent of engineered CDRs transacted in the VCM. This rapid adoption is supported by strong policy signals, including incentives like the 45Q tax credit in the U.S. and growing regulatory alignment across the EU.
The momentum is further reflected in projects such as Elimini’s collaboration with HOFOR, who we recently signed a joint development agreement with to explore a large-scale BECCS facility at the Amagerværket combined heat and power plant in Copenhagen. Our collective goal is to capture hundreds of thousands of tonnes of CO₂ annually, while generating high-integrity CDR credits based on renewable heat and electricity. It’s a powerful model for international collaboration, innovation, and near-term delivery.
Beyond the HOFOR partnership, Elimini is developing a pipeline of BECCS projects across the U.S. and Europe that will provide credits grounded in verifiable, real-world impact and aligned with stringent regulatory standards. These CDRs enable companies to seamlessly integrate carbon removals into their broader climate strategies – supporting growth and strengthening brand credibility while meeting regulatory and investor demands.
Acting Now (and Together) to Advance Carbon Removals at Scale
The carbon removals market is rapidly progressing and access to trustworthy CDR supply is quickly becoming a competitive differentiator. Securing credits today enables companies to future-proof operations, demonstrate climate leadership, and capture early-mover advantages that will define the next phase of market growth.
But full market maturation – which is crucial to meet net-zero targets – is a transformation that can’t be driven by any single company alone. Growing the carbon removals market to mainstream scale demands collaboration. Buyers, suppliers, policymakers, and communities must work together, so that we can collectively scale faster, deliver more impact, and create shared value.
To learn more about how carbon removals can help your business scale climate impact while securing long-term value, visit elimini.com/beccs.