Fig. 2: Funding and deployment by funding regime.
From: Emergency deployment of direct air capture as a response to the climate crisis
a Funding disbursed for DAC deployment and actual expenditure on DAC. The appropriation disbursed for deployment (lines) is the sum of annualized disbursements from each yearly allocation. There are two distinct periods of disbursement: (i) prior to 2050, disbursements increase rapidly as, year after year, a new DAC vintage begins operation; (ii) post-2050, disbursements level off as the number of DAC vintages operating saturates. Actual expenditure (ribbons; 15th and 85th percentile scenarios) is the total appropriation ultimately spent, given industry’s capability to scale up to use funds. Variation in expenditure stems from the differing costs of DAC process and energy supplies used. b New DAC plant deployment and retirement. Ribbons indicate 15th and 85th percentile scenarios; lines show medians. Over 2025–2055 (i), deployment grows exponentially and at maximum rate and is thus growth-constrained. Post-2055 (ii), growth is fiscally constrained and linear; further increases in plant deployment stem from falling plant costs and an appropriation growing with GDP. The result is logistic (S-shaped) growth. (See Supplementary Figs. 6 and 7 for deployment and fleet size by scenario).
