Equatic’s Transformative Technology Allows Seawater to Capture & Store Carbon

(Equatic/Business Wire) Equatic White Paper Outlines Rigorous MRV Framework to Validate Process -- Carbon removal company Equatic has developed a revolutionary process that relies on seawater electrolysis to capture and store carbon dioxide (CO2), while simultaneously producing clean hydrogen. A new white paper written after consultation with EcoEngineers (Eco), a clean energy consulting, auditing, and advisory firm, outlines Equatic’s approach to quantifying and verifying Equatic’s carbon removal process.

“White Paper: Equatic's Measurement, Reporting, and Verification Methodology,” outlines the Equatic process, which is intentionally designed and engineered to measure carbon dioxide removal (CDR) within a closed system. The system uses on-line and on-stream sensors to measure the chemical composition of the seawater inflow, the processed water flows, the retained solids, and the air, ensuring Equatic has a precise and accurate measurement of CO2 drawdown.

Continuous, unambiguous data about operational performance can be obtained directly from in-plant measurements of CDR rate and extent. This data-driven approach ensures that the carbon removal process is meticulously monitored and recorded.

Concurrent with the preparation of this white paper, Eco is preparing the Equatic MRV methodology, drafted in alignment with ISO 14064-2:2019, that provides rules for eligibility, means of quantification, monitoring instructions, reporting requirements, and verification parameters for projects generating carbon removal credits using the Equatic seawater electrolysis process.

“Equatic's innovative approach offers hope in the battle against the pressing issue of global warming,” Roxby Hartley, Ph.D., climate risk director for Eco. “As governments, industries, and individuals seek sustainable solutions, the Equatic process shows strong promise.”

At the heart of the white paper lies the Equatic process, a transformative electrolytic approach for CDR. This process leverages the natural equilibrium between the ocean and the atmosphere to create an efficient means of trapping and storing CO2 within aqueous bicarbonates and solid carbonates. By utilizing the abundant alkaline cations present in seawater, such as magnesium and calcium ions, Equatic has harnessed a continuous process to immobilize CO2 as stable, long-lasting compounds.

“Equatic is the first ocean-based CDR technology to deploy a closed system MRV,” said Dr Erika La Plante, Head of MRV & Environmental Impact Assessment at Equatic. “The carbon removal market is growing, and the highest-value credits are measurable and permanent. By working with Eco to develop a methodology, we are establishing principles for carbon accounting and ISO-standard reporting and verification to provide quality assurance for CDR credits.”

One of the key features of the Equatic process is its focus on permanence. The captured CO2 is stored as solid carbonates and aqueous bicarbonate ions, both of which offer long-term storage solutions. Equatic’s calculations reveal that solid carbonates can immobilize carbon dioxide for billions of years, while aqueous bicarbonates can provide storage for more than 10,000 years. This makes Equatic’s carbon removal approach a promising contender for tackling the issue of atmospheric carbon accumulation.

“The Equatic white paper showcases a preliminary pathway to leverage voluntary carbon markets,” said Hartley. “The credibility of carbon credits depends on implementing a comprehensive approach to measuring, reporting, and verification. We believe Equatic is on the right path to do this.”

EcoEngineers is a consulting, auditing, and advisory firm with an exclusive focus on the energy transition. From innovation to impact, Eco helps its clients navigate the disruption caused by carbon emissions and climate change. Eco helps organizations stay informed, measure emissions, make investment decisions, maintain compliance, and manage data through the lens of carbon accounting. Its team of engineers, scientists, auditors, consultants, and researchers live and work at the intersection of low-carbon fuel policy, innovative technologies, and the carbon marketplace. Eco was established in 2009 to steer low-carbon fuel producers through the complexities of emerging energy regulations in the United States. Today, Eco’s global team is shaping the response to climate change by advising businesses across the energy transition.

Equatic is a carbon removal company leading the industry in combined carbon dioxide removal and carbon-negative hydrogen generation. Using a patented seawater electrolysis process, Equatic amplifies the ocean’s inherent ability to absorb and store massive amounts of carbon. Formerly known as Project SeaChange, the technology was created and developed at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering’s Institute for Carbon Management. Equatic operates two pilots in Los Angeles and Singapore and works with industry pioneers, national agencies, and government leadership to scale climate solutions at unprecedented rates. The company sells high-quality carbon removal credits and is the only ocean-based carbon removal company that measures removal with unprecedented certainty. READ MORE
Ebb Carbon successfully uses seawater to capture & store CO2 (World Bio Market Insights)

Excerpt from World Bio Market Insights: Ebb Carbon – a climate technology startup founded by former Google X, Tesla, and SolarCity execs – has installed and begun operating its first marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) and ocean deacidification system at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) facility in Sequim, Washington, marking an important step as the company begins to deploy its technology following a recent Series A investment round.

Ebb is taking a measured, science-based approach to its first deployment, partnering closely with some of the world’s most respected ocean monitoring and modeling institutions to gather and publicly share data about its technology. This approach is generating real-world, scientifically validated data that will provide visibility into Ebb’s carbon-removal process and provide a strong foundation of understanding to support responsible future deployments of this critical climate solution.

Ebb’s first system, which is roughly the size of a shipping container, processes seawater that is pumped into PNNL-Sequim’s marine lab from Sequim Bay. The seawater passes through a series of membranes, which act like a filter, removing acid from the water. Once the acid is removed, the seawater can absorb additional carbon dioxide from the air and store it as bicarbonate in the water. Bicarbonate is a durable and naturally abundant form of carbon storage in the ocean.

Before returning to the ocean, the treated seawater will be held in open air tanks to facilitate research, experimentation and simulation to document the impacts of the process on CO2 sequestration, ocean deacidification, and local biology. The treated seawater will return to the ocean through PNNL’s existing wastewater system in accordance with existing permits. The research team is also evaluating the potential to power the Ebb system using marine energy including energy from ocean waves, tides, currents, as well as salinity, thermal and pressure gradients.

The low-carbon acid that Ebb’s system produces can be used to neutralize alkaline waste locally. Ebb is in discussions with local sand and gravel operations who can utilize the acid to neutralize alkaline stormwater. READ MORE