Google has signed a groundbreaking $10 million deal with carbon removal startup Holocene to capture 100,000 tons of CO2 at an unprecedented price of $100 per ton, a cost seen as crucial for making direct air capture (DAC) mainstream. Founded in 2022, Holocene employs a novel technique utilizing amino acids to efficiently extract CO2 from the atmosphere, which is then prepared for underground storage. Despite the ambitious pricing, there are no guarantees Holocene will meet its targets, especially following the recent shutdown of another carbon removal company. The deal, supported by government tax credits, is part of Google's broader strategy to decarbonize its operations and invest in scalable carbon removal technologies. This partnership reflects a growing urgency within the industry to reduce costs and increase the scale of DAC as a viable solution to climate change. However, experts caution that achieving the necessary volume of carbon removal remains a significant challenge.