In the shadow of shuttered factories and coal plants, a new industrial revolution is quietly taking shape.
Direct air capture isn’t just a carbon management solution, it’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revitalize U.S. industry, restore communities, and secure America’s position in global energy markets. As DAC technology scales, it has the potential to create 130,000 American jobs in the coming decades — and reinvigorate regions hit hardest by the decline of manufacturing and industrial activity.
But the opportunity goes beyond jobs: DAC offers a rare chance to rebuild domestic supply chains, drive innovation and prosperity, and strengthen our national competitiveness in energy and infrastructure.
Manufacturing’s second act with DAC
U.S. supply chain realities are hitting multinational manufacturers hard. In the 1950s, manufacturing jobs represented 35% of U.S. employment; today, the share has dropped to just 9.4%. From solar panels to semiconductors, production capacity of critical components has increasingly moved overseas, jeopardizing U.S. economic security.
Meanwhile, global competitors like Canada, China, and the European Union are racing ahead with carbon removal technologies, bolstered by investment and policy support, putting them in a position to gain a first-mover advantage where American innovation can lead the way. Thanks to the preservation of the carbon capture and sequestration tax credit, or 45Q, in this year’s GOP budget legislation, the U.S. has taken an important step toward building a strong domestic DAC industry. Yet, without continued federal support to prioritize domestic manufacturing and deployment, we risk repeating a familiar story: developing transformative technology on U.S. soil, and scaling it abroad.
DAC presents a rare opportunity to break that cycle. It requires a complex supply chain — from steel and sensors to sorbents and automation — many of which can be produced by retooling or integrating into existing manufacturing processes. As automotive plants close around North America, many could be retooled to produce DAC systems, reviving local economies and extending the life of existing industrial assets. The technology can also be combined with existing ventilation systems in buildings, leveraging current infrastructure for low-cost carbon management, or else it can utilize waste heat to power the DAC regeneration process, improving overall energy efficiency.
One emerging use case is the data centers fueling the AI boom. Recent New York Times reporting showed that data centers are expected to double electricity use by 2030, intensifying pressure on regional grids and water supplies. As utilities scramble to keep up, some DAC systems offer a multi-faceted solution: They can integrate with data centers to recycle waste heat, reduce emissions, and even generate clean water.
With growing concern about data centers consuming entire towns’ worth of electricity and water, co-locating with DAC offers a way to decarbonize this next phase of digital infrastructure.
Community transformation: From coal to DAC
Consider Moffat County, Colorado, where Craig Station coal-fired power plant and nearby mines are closing. The community faces the loss of more than 400 jobs and nearly half of its property tax revenue when those facilities close their doors.
But rather than let these workers and towns fall behind, Colorado has introduced a carbon management roadmap, identifying DAC and other carbon management technologies as pillars of its energy future. The plan has the potential to create an average of 2,480 project jobs and 1,575 ongoing operation jobs across the state over 15 years — offering a future beyond coal.
This community shares a common need with many coal hubs across the U.S.: sustainable employment alternatives, leveraging existing skills and infrastructure to revitalize their economies. This is what DAC can provide.
Research indicates that an initial 500-kiloton DAC project generates between 540 and 1,370 average annual jobs over its five-year construction period, and between 300 and 420 ongoing jobs associated with maintaining the project and related supplier activities over the facility’s lifetime. Each DAC facility needs steel workers, engineers, technicians, operators, construction crews for building, maintenance teams for operation.
Critically, many of these roles are a fit for workers from fossil fuel and traditional energy sectors, which would make retraining easier and transitions smoother. At the same time, these regions can maintain their energy identity and leadership, continuing to be essential contributors to the country’s energy strategy.
The race to lead is on
The carbon removal market is expected to grow to as much as $100 billion a year by 2035. And with this massive opportunity comes intense competition. China and the EU are moving aggressively to make carbon removal a part of their industrial strategies. In fact, the EU is currently assessing DAC and other approaches to see how they can reach their goals. Canadian leaders announced they will ensure that the full value of their own carbon capture tax credit is extended to 2035 to support a broad range of carbon removal innovation.
The nation that leads in DAC will secure advantages that extend far beyond economic benefits. It will have the chance to shape global energy markets for decades to come, and shepherd critical supply chains. The United States has the expertise, industrial capacity, and skilled workforce to dominate this emerging sector — but only if we act decisively. To unlock this opportunity, we need to see coordinated efforts between industry, government, and communities, beginning now.
The most important piece in securing American leadership is having federal policies that prioritize domestic manufacturing, create long-term procurement pathways, and support early DAC deployment in energy communities. The strengthened 45Q tax credit is a powerful foundation — a clear signal that the current administration recognizes the opportunity. Now, Congress and the White House must build on that momentum to ensure that DAC becomes a “Made in America” industry that benefits the regions that need it most.
Will Kain is the founder and CEO of Avnos, a direct air capture company. The opinions represented in this contributed article are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the views of Latitude Media or any of its staff.
