(Credit: Equatic)Equatic has developed a process which uses seawater electrolysis to capture and store carbon, generating clean hydrogen at the same time.
The white paper -- Equatic’s Measurement, Reporting, and Verification Methodology -- made in consultation with EcoEngineers, outlines the company’s approach to quantifying and verifying their new carbon removal process. The process makes use of the natural equilibrium of the ocean and atmosphere to trap carbon in aqueous bicarbonates and solid carbonates in a closed system. This way, carbon dioxide removal (CDR) can be more accurately quantified, ensuring quality operational performance.
The benefits of Equatic’s process derive from its focus on permanent storage -- at least, storage capabilities of 10,000 to even billions of years.
“The carbon removal market is growing, and the highest-value credits are measurable and permanent,” said Erika La Plante, head of MRV and environmental impact assessment at Equatic. “By working with EcoEngineers to develop a methodology, we are establishing principles for carbon accounting and ISO-standard reporting and verification to provide quality assurance for CDR credits.”
As many companies turn to purchasing carbon credits in order to reach their sustainability goals, attention has been drawn to the measurability and transparency available to ensure carbon capture technologies are legitimate. As the carbon removal market grows, innovative carbon capture solutions that are able to quantify their impact will be the most attractive to investors.
Equatic plans to meet these standards by publishing its Total Carbon Removed, a registry and database of Equatic credits. They will also apply the same carbon accounting processes between reporting periods to ensure comparability between periods.
Beyond carbon removal, the Equatic process splits seawater into hydrogen and oxygen through the process of electrolysis, creating green hydrogen. This can then be used to fuel industrial processes or for zero-carbon transportation.
With the new technologies' combined capabilities, Equatic hopes the company can help reduce the massive impact carbon currently has on the warming environment.
“Equatic's innovative approach offers hope in the battle against the pressing issue of global warming,” said Roxby Hartley, climate risk director for EcoEngineers. “As governments, industries, and individuals seek sustainable solutions, the Equatic process shows strong promise.”
