Boeing Steps Into the Carbon Removal Market With Charm Industrial Deal
In a move that signals a broader shift in how global manufacturers are approaching decarbonization, Boeing has signed an agreement with Charm Industrial to purchase up to 100,000 tonnes of permanent carbon removals. The transaction marks one of the aviation sector’s most consequential steps into the growing market for engineered carbon removal — a market that many policymakers and executives increasingly view as unavoidable.
Charm Industrial, a San Francisco–based carbon removal company, has pioneered a process that converts agricultural residues and wildfire fuel into a carbon-rich bio-oil, which is then injected into underground geological formations. Once underground, the material solidifies, effectively removing carbon from the atmosphere for the long term. The approach offers permanence levels significantly higher than traditional offset projects such as reforestation, and has attracted interest from both corporate buyers and policymakers seeking durable climate solutions.
For Boeing, the partnership reflects the intensifying regulatory and market pressures facing the aviation industry. Airlines and aircraft manufacturers must balance rising global demand for air travel with climate commitments, and carbon removal is increasingly viewed as a necessary complement to fleet modernization, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) development, and operational efficiencies. With limited near-term pathways for deep emissions reductions, the purchase of durable removals provides Boeing and its customers an additional lever to meet long-term climate targets.
Jeff Shockey, Boeing’s executive vice president for Government Operations, Global Public Policy & Corporate Strategy, framed the agreement as part of a broader decarbonization strategy. “The aviation industry has set goals to reduce emissions to support long-term global demand for air travel and meet regulatory requirements,” he said. “Boeing is excited to team up with Charm Industrial to support American innovation in carbon removals to help meet these needs.”
The deal also illustrates the emerging industrial ecosystem forming around carbon removal technologies. Charm’s model relies heavily on rural labor, existing oilfield infrastructure and agricultural supply chains — positioning CDR as not only a climate tool but an economic development strategy. By sourcing biomass from wildfire mitigation programs and agricultural operations, the company links climate action to job creation in regions often left out of the clean-tech boom.
Peter Reinhardt, Charm’s CEO, emphasized this connection. “This collaboration helps scale our carbon removal technology while creating new jobs in rural communities,” he said, pointing to the company’s deliberate hiring strategy and use of EPA-regulated injection wells.
The agreement’s scale — 100,000 tonnes of CO₂ — is modest relative to aviation’s annual emissions footprint, but meaningful within the nascent market for engineered removals. Industry observers note that corporate offtake agreements remain the primary financing mechanism for early-stage CDR companies, functioning as a bridge until compliance markets or government procurement programs mature. In this context, Boeing’s entry signals confidence not only in Charm’s technology, but in the long-term role of durable carbon removal as part of aviation’s decarbonization portfolio.
Regulators in the U.S. and Europe are increasingly recognizing this role. The EU’s 2040 climate framework and the U.S. Department of Energy’s CDR initiatives both highlight engineered removals — including BECCS, enhanced mineralization, and bio-oil sequestration — as critical to achieving mid-century climate goals. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is also exploring pathways for incorporating durable removals into CORSIA, the global aviation emissions regime.
Industry analysts expect more announcements of this type as aerospace firms seek credible decarbonization pathways. While sustainable aviation fuels remain the primary lever for near-term emissions reductions, SAF supply constraints and cost challenges have created space for complementary approaches. Carbon removal, once considered peripheral, is rapidly becoming a strategic asset.
Boeing’s deal with Charm Industrial underscores a broader trend: climate strategy in aviation is shifting from incremental efficiency gains toward long-term carbon management. For an industry facing both regulatory pressure and the realities of technological timelines, permanent carbon removal is no longer a distant option — but increasingly part of the core toolkit.
Whether Boeing’s move will accelerate similar commitments across the sector remains to be seen. But in an industry historically defined by scale, supply chains, and engineering rigor, its entry into the CDR market is likely to carry weight. As carbon removal transitions from pilot projects to industrial deployment, aerospace may prove to be one of the most influential early buyers ■