Deep Sky and Isometric have announced the independent verification and registration of the first certified direct air capture (DAC) carbon removal credits in North America. Captured and permanently stored at the Deep Sky Alpha facility in Innisfail, Alberta, the credits are set for delivery to major corporate buyers Microsoft and Royal Bank of Canada (RBC).
The credits were certified under Isometric’s Direct Air Capture Protocol and independently verified. This process requires all project emissions to be accounted for when calculating net carbon removal, alongside long-term monitoring to ensure safe, permanent underground storage. Isometric is the first certifier approved by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market to issue DAC credits carrying the Core Carbon Principles (CCP) label, making these the first CCP-labelled DAC carbon removal credits globally.
Constructed and commissioned within an 18-month timeframe from late 2024 to mid-2025, Deep Sky Alpha has already permanently injected its first tonnes of atmospheric carbon dioxide underground. The facility acts as a testing ground for multiple distinct DAC technologies.
Alex Petre, CEO of Deep Sky, emphasised that leadership in the sector is earned through execution, noting that the milestone serves as a critical proof point before the expansion of ongoing commercial operations. Eamon Jubbawy, CEO of Isometric, added that rigorous certification opens the door to larger, more frequent credit issuances and eventual industry scale.
The delivery marks the beginning of Deep Sky’s supply to Microsoft and RBC under carbon removal agreements extending through to 2034. Brian Hong, Director of the Environmental Markets Solutions Group at RBC, welcomed the rapid deployment of scientifically measurable climate solutions in Alberta, a region central to Canada’s energy infrastructure.
As global governments advance carbon removal policies and buyers demand verified supply, the carbon removal market is shifting its focus heavily towards physical delivery. Deep Sky Alpha is the first North American DAC project to move successfully from atmospheric capture and permanent storage to fully certified credits.
