Microsoft has agreed to purchase 626,000 tonnes of durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits over 15 years from the North Star bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) project in Saskatchewan, Canada.
The deal has been struck with North Star Carbon Solutions LP, a partnership between Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) and Svante Technologies.
It is Microsoft's first Canadian BECCS CDR offtake agreement and is believed to be the first such deal in Canada involving Indigenous ownership.
The North Star project will be co-located at the MLTC Bioenergy Centre, a renewable power generation facility supplied by waste biomass from an adjacent sawmill.
At capacity, the carbon capture plant will generate up to 90,000 tonnes of CDR credits per year. Captured CO2 will be transported and permanently stored at a geologic storage site owned and operated by North Star.
Commercial operation is planned for early 2029, with Svante providing all funding until a construction decision is taken.
Scott Gardner, president of Svante Development, said: 'We are excited about this landmark agreement for BECCS in Canada. Microsoft's anchor offtake commitment sends a strong signal to the market about the quality of North Star's CDRs and the readiness of the Canadian market to deliver such projects.'
Jeremy Norman, tribal chief of Meadow Lake Tribal Council, said: 'North Star reflects MLTC Nations' long-standing commitment to land stewardship and sustainable forest management. The project demonstrates how Indigenous leadership and collaboration can advance climate solutions while supporting meaningful employment and economic opportunities for our member Nations and the surrounding community.'
Phillip Goodman, director of carbon removal portfolio at Microsoft, said: 'To meet our climate goals, we need to help scale solutions that deliver durable storage and are backed by rigorous monitoring and verification.'
The project is expected to create around 50 local jobs during development and construction, and up to 10 permanent roles once operational.
Microsoft buys 626,000 tonnes of CDR credits from Canada BECCS project
Scott Gardner, President, Svante Development, stands at Svante's headquarters in Burnaby, BC, Canada, in front of the company's commercial-sized carbon capture machine
Scott Gardner, President, Svante Development, stands at Svante's headquarters in Burnaby, BC, Canada, in front of the company's commercial-sized carbon capture machine
