Launchpad
Providing tailored expert support to innovators developing ocean-based carbon dioxide removal strategies
The Challenge
We can no longer reverse the climate crisis through reduction of greenhouse gas emissions alone. Current levels of CO2 in our air and ocean will persist for decades, if not centuries, and continue to drive dangerous changes – including in the ocean. We need to remove between 100 – 1000 gigatons of carbon dioxide by the end of this century just to hold temperatures to a 1.5°C increase – the goal in the Paris Agreement.
The Solution
Potential solutions are within reach. There are many viable ways to clean up atmospheric and oceanic CO2. To date, most carbon dioxide removal (CDR) has been focused on land-based solutions, such as afforestation or direct air capture. There are also many promising solutions that that build on the ocean’s natural processes – aka ocean-based CDR.
How It Works
Identify Team Needs
Ocean Visions works with our selected cohort of competitors to identify the specific technical and disciplinary expertise, as well as key physical resources (such as testing facilities, vessels, and labs), that they most need to enhance their ability to succeed
Assemble Expert Advisors
Ocean Visions recruits appropriate experts from within its diverse Network to build customized teams from relevant disciplines and expertise. These advisory teams provide ongoing technical advice and support.
The Innovators
Captura is developing electrochemical approaches and scalable technologies to extract CO₂ from seawater for sequestration purposes. Captura’s offshore platform system will use a novel electrodialysis unit to split and separate water molecules into acid and base, enabling the capture of high-purity CO₂ gas and helping restore the pH balance of seawater —the only system inputs being oceanwater and sunlight.
Ebb Carbon is pioneering a new approach to ocean-based carbon removal. Their proprietary electrochemical system uses low carbon electricity to separate salt water into acid and base, enhancing the ocean’s natural ability to safely store excess atmospheric carbon dioxide, while reducing ocean acidity. Sensors and software control how much base is returned to the ocean, to verify the amount of CO₂ removed.
Phykos is growing seaweed to attempt to capture carbon from the ocean surface. They plan on using robotic vessels that will navigate to optimal conditions to grow seaweed. Autonomous and mechanized platforms will allow for periodic harvesting, whereby sheared seaweed sinks to the deep ocean—taking with it embodied carbon.
Carboniferous, Inc. harnesses the carbon-sequestering power of plants with natural preservation mechanisms in oxygen-free ocean basins to achieve durable carbon sequestration.
SeaO₂ is using electrochemical direct ocean capture to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in geological formations or products such as concrete for long-term sequestration.
Brilliant Planet grows microalgae in coastal deserts in an effort to help remove atmospheric carbon dioxide for multi-millennial storage while deacidifying the coastline to a pre-industrial pH.
“To address the enormous challenges associated with climate change, we need grand ideas that can be scaled up.”
Wim Van Rees
Assistant Professor, MIT