We Are ETH Capturing Carbon at Scale: Jan Wurzbacher on Engineering Climate Solutions
Jun 5, 2025
Dr. Jan Wurzbacher, an ETH alumnus and co-founder of Climeworks, shares his journey in creating large-scale carbon capture solutions. He discusses the innovative technology behind CO₂ extraction and the remarkable growth of Climeworks from concept to reality. Jan highlights the essential collaboration between engineering and climate science and reflects on the challenges of scaling up these technologies to meet global targets. He also emphasizes the critical role of policy support and public trust in pioneering effective climate action.
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First-Day Meeting That Launched Climeworks
- Jan met his co-founder Christoph on the first day at ETH in a mechanical engineering introduction group.
- Their shared interests in engineering and outdoor sports helped spark their long collaboration.
How Direct Air Capture Works
- Direct air capture targets extremely dilute CO2 (~400 ppm), so machines must pick one molecule out of ~2,500.
- Climeworks uses porous sorbent materials and fans to adsorb CO2 then heats them to ~100°C to release concentrated CO2.
From ETH Lab Project To First Prototype
- Climeworks began in 2009 inside ETH labs while Jan and Christoph pursued PhDs and negotiated lab access with Professor Steinfeld.
- They developed technology and market strategy in parallel before moving to their own facilities and building a first prototype in 2014.
