马斯克挚友杀回中国！这次要“把空气变‘石油’”，新项目落子临港

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the establishment of a research and innovation center by the technology company Carbon Life in Shanghai, emphasizing the importance of carbon capture technology as a solution for achieving carbon neutrality and the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources [3][4]. Group 1: Company Overview - Carbon Life, founded less than a year ago, has signed a cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Free Trade Zone Lingang New Area Management Committee to establish its first R&D innovation center in Shanghai [3]. - The founder, Ren Yuxiang, is a former executive at Tesla and emphasizes that carbon dioxide is the "oil of the new era" [3][4]. Group 2: Technology and Innovation - The company focuses on direct air capture (DAC) technology, which allows for large-scale production of carbon capture without geographical limitations, contrasting with traditional carbon capture methods that are limited and only serve as short-term solutions [4]. - Carbon Life is advancing the world's first direct air carbon capture project to produce sustainable aviation fuel, aiming to produce its first barrel of demonstration oil by the end of 2025 [5]. Group 3: Strategic Location and Support - Shanghai was chosen as the starting point due to its abundant and inexpensive renewable energy resources, a strong talent pool in the chemical industry, and significant government support under carbon neutrality policies [5]. - The establishment of the R&D center in Lingang aligns with the company's long-term development goals and will accelerate technology commercialization while reducing energy consumption and costs [5]. Group 4: Funding and Future Plans - The company has completed its angel round of financing, with continued investment from Sequoia China and the Yellow River Delta Investment, along with a new investor from the Chinese internet industry [6]. - Future plans include a timeline for pilot testing from 2024 to 2025, scaling to a thousand-ton pilot in 2026, and launching a commercial project of 100,000 tons by 2027, with ongoing optimization of cost control and expansion of green carbon-based products [5].