CARBON REMOVAL WEEKLY SUMMARY (01 JANUARY - 07 JANUARY 2024)-WEEK#01
Links to recent scientific papers, web posts, upcoming events, job opportunities, podcasts, and event recordings, etc. on Carbon Dioxide Removal Technology.
💸COMMERCIAL NEWS
$5M investment to help Penobscot County firm produce sustainable ‘biochar’ (Minebiz)
A Scottish firm that measures soil carbon achieved £9m of funding from global industry giants Shell and Barclays (Scottish Firm)
Weyerhaeuser marked its first transaction in the voluntary carbon market by inking an agreement to sell nearly 32,000 forest carbon credits at $29 per credit (Wood Working)
CO2REhub announced four winners from its methane & ocean CO2 Removal funding call (CO2RE)
Louisiana obtained Class VI permitting primacy for carbon storage projects from the US Environmental Protection Agency (Louisiana)
CarbonCure unveiled the latest awardees of their $2,000 Sustainability in Concrete Scholarship, designed to accelerate concrete decarbonization and foster innovation (Carbon Cure)
CarbFix and Kenya’s Great Carbon Valley have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly explore the development of CO2 mineral storage in Kenya (Carbfix)
Siemens Energy partnered with the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development to promote decarbonization in the emirate's industrial sector and help advance carbon removal technology (Media Office)
📝RESEARCH PAPERS
Two-phase interaction in isothermal hydro-mechanical-chemical coupling for improved carbon geological sequestration modelling
Abdullah, S., Ma, Y., Wang, K., Subramanyam, S., Chen, X., & Khan, A. (2023). Two-phase interaction in isothermal hydro-mechanical-chemical coupling for improved carbon geological sequestration modelling. Geomechanics and Geoengineering, 1-19.
Potential CO2 capture via enhanced weathering by basaltic sand spreading on golf courses in the U.S.
Zhou, Q. (2024). Potential CO2 capture via enhanced weathering by basaltic sand spreading on golf courses in the US. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 131, 104032.
A call to action: The need for evaluation of carbon storage by lacustrine large woody debris
Marsden, J. E., Chiapella, A., & Keeton, W. S. (2023). A call to action: The need for evaluation of carbon storage by lacustrine large woody debris. Freshwater Biology.
Forest carbon removal potential and sustainable development in Japan
Zhang, B., Imbulana Arachchi, J. & Managi, S. (2024). Forest carbon removal potential and sustainable development in Japan. Sci Rep 14, 647.
Reassessing the need for carbon dioxide removal: moral implications of alternative climate target pathways
Voget-Kleschin L, Baatz C, Heyward C, Van Vuuren D, Mengis N. (2024). Reassessing the need for carbon dioxide removal: moral implications of alternative climate target pathways. Global Sustainability.
Climate-Driven Fluctuations in Anthropogenic CO2 Uptake by the East Sea in the North Pacific Ocean
Kim, S. Y., Lee, K., Lee, T., Kim, J. M., & Han, I. S. (2023). Climate‐Driven Fluctuations in Anthropogenic CO2 Uptake by the East Sea in the North Pacific Ocean. Geophysical Research Letters, 50(21), e2023GL105819.
Resilience of Amazon rainfall to CO2 removal forcing
Zhang, S., Qu, X., Huang, G., Hu, P., Yang, X., Wang, Y., & Wu, L. (2023). Resilience of Amazon rainfall to CO2 removal forcing. Environmental Research Letters.
Responsible innovation in CDR: designing sustainable national greenhouse gas removal policies in a fragmented and polycentric governance system
Healey, P., Kruger, T., & Lezaun, J. Responsible innovation in CDR: designing sustainable national greenhouse gas removal policies in a fragmented and polycentric governance system. Frontiers in Climate, 5, 1293650.
Modelling biochar long-term carbon storage in soil with harmonized analysis of decomposition data
Azzi, E. S., Li, H., Cederlund, H., Karltun, E., & Sundberg, C. (2024). Modelling biochar long-term carbon storage in soil with harmonized analysis of decomposition data. Geoderma, 441, 116761.
Construction and modular implementation of the THETA cycle for synthetic CO2 fixation
Luo, S., Diehl, C., He, H., Bae, Y., Klose, M., Claus, P., ... & Erb, T. J. (2023). Construction and modular implementation of the THETA cycle for synthetic CO2 fixation. Nature Catalysis, 6(12), 1228-1240.
Energy, Exergy, Economic and Exergoeconomic Analyses of Chemical Looping Combustion Plant Using Waste Bark for District Heat and Power Generation with Negative Emissions
Surywanshi, G. D., Leion, H., & Soleimanisalim, A. H. (2023). Energy, Exergy, Economic and Exergoeconomic Analyses of Chemical Looping Combustion Plant Using Waste Bark for District Heat and Power Generation with Negative Emissions. Energy Technology, 2300577.
Zero/negative carbon emission coal and biomass staged co-gasification power generation system via biomass heating
Yang, D., Li, S., & He, S. (2024). Zero/negative carbon emission coal and biomass staged co-gasification power generation system via biomass heating. Applied Energy, 357, 122469.
Four volcanically driven climatic perturbations led to enhanced continental weathering during the Late Triassic Carnian Pluvial Episode
Zhang, P., Yang, M., Lu, J., Jiang, Z., Vervoort, P., Zhou, K., ... & Hilton, J. (2024). Four volcanically driven climatic perturbations led to enhanced continental weathering during the Late Triassic Carnian Pluvial Episode. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 626, 118517.
Bamboo-derived Biochar as Partial Cement Replacement in Concrete for Carbon Dioxide Capturing and Sequestration
Sacdalan, J. L. D., Bartolo, C. A. D., Bautista, C. A. D., Cruz, G. G., & Muñoz, J. C. (2023). Bamboo-derived Biochar as Partial Cement Replacement in Concrete for Carbon Dioxide Capturing and Sequestration. Chemical Engineering Transactions, 106, 409-414.
Ultra-long-duration energy storage anywhere: Methanol with carbon cycling
Brown, T., & Hampp, J. (2023). Ultra-long-duration energy storage anywhere: Methanol with carbon cycling. Joule, 7(11), 2414-2420.
Assessment of Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies: A Data-Driven Decision-Making Model
X. Ma and C. Bai, Assessment of Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies: A Data-Driven Decision-Making Model, in IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management.
Modeling the Measurement of Carbon Dioxide Removal: Perspectives from the Philosophy of Measurement
Joseph, W. (2024). Modeling the measurement of carbon dioxide removal: perspectives from the philosophy of measurement, Frontiers in Climate.
Deal or no deal: Will the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) push Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies over the line?
Goddard, A. (2023). Deal or no deal: Will the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) push Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies over the line? (No. 05). OIES Paper: CM.
Carbonate chemistry and carbon sequestration driven by inorganic carbon outwelling from mangroves and saltmarshes
Reithmaier, G. M., Cabral, A., Akhand, A., Bogard, M. J., Borges, A. V., Bouillon, S., ... & Santos, I. R. (2023). Carbonate chemistry and carbon sequestration driven by inorganic carbon outwelling from mangroves and saltmarshes. Nature communications, 14(1), 8196.
Desalination brines as a potential vector for CO2 sequestration in the deep sea
Jacobson, Y., Bialik, O. M., Silverman, J., Lazar, B., Burd-Villanova, D., Galilove, E., ... & Sisma-Ventura, G. (2023). Desalination brines as a potential vector for CO2 sequestration in the deep sea. Desalination, 117234.
FinanceForFuture: Enforcing a CO2 emitter liability using atmospheric CO2 removal deposits (ACORDs) to finance future negative emissions
Lyngfelt, A., Fridahl, M., & Haszeldine, S. (2024). FinanceForFuture: Enforcing a CO2 emitter liability using atmospheric CO2 removal deposits (ACORDs) to finance future negative emissions. Energy Research & Social Science, 107, 103356.
India’s biogeochemical capacity to attain food security and remediate climate
Mir, I. A., Goreau, T. J., Campe, J., & Jerden, J. (2024). India’s biogeochemical capacity to attain food security and remediate climate. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 46(1), 17.
Presenting balanced geoengineering information has little effect on mitigation engagement
Merk, C., & Wagner, G. (2024). Presenting balanced geoengineering information has little effect on mitigation engagement. Climatic Change, 177(1), 11.
Decision making for net zero policy design and climate action: considerations for improving translation at the research-policy interface: a UK Carbon Dioxide Removal case study
Workman, M., Heap, R. J., Mackie, E., & Connon, I. (2023). Decision making for net zero policy design and climate action: Considerations for improving translation at the research-policy interface: A UK Carbon Dioxide Removal Case Study. Frontiers in Climate, 5, 1288001.
An Agrigenomics Trifecta: Greenhouse Gas Drawdown, Food Security, and New Drugs
DeLisi, C. (2023). An Agrigenomics Trifecta: Greenhouse Gas Drawdown, Food Security, and New Drugs. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, a041676.
The Mining Industry’s Role in Enhanced Weathering and Mineralization for CO2 Removal
Power, I. M., Paulo, C., & Rausis, K. (2023). The Mining Industry’s Role in Enhanced Weathering and Mineralization for CO2 Removal. Environmental Science & Technology.
📰WEB POSTS
Reflecting on Progress: Key Milestones in Carbon Dioxide Removal - 2023 Edition
Carbon finance company Respira International received a strategic investment from London's Spinnaker Capital, with participation from Capricorn Investment Group, the current investor (Carbon Herald)
This oil company invests in pulling CO2 out of the sky — so it can keep selling crude (NPR)
This startup wants to track soil carbon with AI and satellites (Freethink)
Expanding the Carbon Dioxide Removal Portfolio to the Seas (Cleantech Group)
10 essential carbon removal reads from 2023 (The Carbon Curve)
Answer to high ocean acidity may lie in carbon transfer from wetlands (The Weather Network)
Exploring CarbonCure’s Comprehensive Testing Protocols (CarbonCure)
How electricity could help tackle a surprising climate villain (MIT Technology Review)
Foundations for a Healthy ERW Market Cycle (The Great Unwind)
Markey, Braun, Houlahan, Garbarino Announce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation To Increase Resources For Farmers To Protect The Environment (ED Markey)
How Much Carbon Removal Should I Buy? (CDR.fyi)
Trading carbon removals: establishing the rules of the game (LSE)
Making buildings truly carbon negative in the long run (Soletair Power)
Why 2023 Was A Breakout Year In Carbon Removals (Forbes)
Roadkill on the Gigaton CO2 Capture Superhighway
Capture6 2023: an ambitious year in review (Medium)
Shopify: Three lessons from investing $55m in 40 carbon removal startups (BusinessGreen)
How carbon removal tech is poised to be the next tool for tackling the climate crisis (Vox)
Technology vs. Trees: What The Debate Over Carbon Removal Is Missing (Sustainability)
Forest carbon credits and the voluntary market: A solution or a distraction? (Mongabay)
📘THESES
Design of a Novel Inquiry Based Direct Air Capture Laboratory Experiment Characterization of a Packed Bed Absorber Column and Development of a Process Model to Support Inquiry-Based Learning in Chemical Engineering Laboratory
Exploring support alternatives within the European Union policy framework for technological carbon dioxide removal and biogenic carbon sequestration: a present-day assessment
Generalized Process Model for Solid Sorbent Direct Air Capture Contactors
📑REPORTS
Carbon Dioxide Removal: Best-Practice Guidelines
Procurement As A Catalyzing Federal Instrument For Carbon Dioxide Removal
A Methodology for permanent removals with sustainable BECCS
Exploring the carbon sequestration potential of rewilding in the UK: policy and data needs to support net zero
The role of carbon dioxide removal in contributing to the long-term goal of the Paris Agreement
🗣️DISCUSSIONS
Ocean mixing better than CDR for temperature regulation
🧰CDR FIRMS
Carbon Neutral Initiative
Standard Biocarbon
📆UPCOMING EVENTS
Info Session/Webinar with Peter Reinhardt by OpenAir | 08 January 2024
(NEW) Governing Permanence of CDR: A Typology of Policy Measures by Institute for Carbon Removal Law and Policy | 09 January 2024
(NEW) This Is CDR Ep91: RMI's Applied Innovation Roadmap for CDR by OpenAir Collective | 09 January 2024
COP28: Takeaways and Next Steps for CDR by AirMiners | 10 January 2024
CDR Capital Flow Chapter meeting | Paris Roundtable by Negative Emissions Platform | 11 January and 18 January 2024
2024 Call for Proposals—The importance of robust science-based innovation in the drive for rapid implementation by Carbon Technology Research Foundation | 16 January 2023
(NEW) Solutions for Scalable Greenhouse Gas Removal by Carbon Technology Research Foundation | 16 January 2024
A transatlantic dialogue: carbon removal policy in the EU and USA by Carbon Gap | 17 January 2023
(NEW) C. Hafferty: Participatory governance for scaling-up Nature-based Solutions by Countryside and Community Research Institute | 18 January 2024
AirMiners January 2024 Town Hall by AirMiners | 24 January 2024
(NEW) Unlocking Climate Capital to Deploy CDR Technologies by gener8tor | 24 January 2024
Science Communication Training on Ocean Carbon Dioxide Removal by Compass | Session 1: 1-2 February 2024, Session 2: 18 February 2024
CDR Capital Flow Chapter meeting | London Roundtable by Negative Emissions Platform | 01 February and 08 February 2024
Biochar 2024: The North American Conference on Climate Action with Biochar for Economic and Ecosystem Resilience by US Biochar Initiative (USBI) | 12-15 February 2024
The Leading Carbon Removal Business Summit by Carbon UnboundUSA | 22-23 May 2024
Negative CO₂ Emissions hosted at the University of Oxford by CO₂RE - The Greenhouse Gas Removal Hub, with financial support from UKRI | 18-21 June 2024
💼JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Process Engineer I at Mars Materials
“Mars’ mission is to reverse humanity’s industrial waste carbon footprint. We’re currently commercializing technology developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) that produces low-cost, low-carbon acrylonitrile (AN) using captured-CO₂ and bio-based feedstocks.”
IP Technology Specialist at Carbfix | Iceland | Deadline: 21 January 2024
“Carbfix is looking for a highly motivated professional who is driven to contribute to climate recovery and work with us on continued international growth. The IP Technology Specialist at Carbfix is a key player in the intersection of technical innovation and intellectual property (IP) management. This role involves a significant level of autonomy and responsibility in identifying and developing protectable IP, based on a strong foundation in both technical understanding and basic IP principles. It's tailored for professionals who have a technical background and have interest in developing expertise in the realm of IP management.”
Head of Sales & Principal Soil Scientist at YardStick
“Yard Stick is a remote-first climate tech startup with cofounders based in Boston, MA and Oakland, CA. We are on a mission to reverse climate change with agriculture. Scientists and farmers alike know that climate-friendly agricultural practices have the potential to remove atmospheric CO2 at gigaton/year scale. When these practices are adopted, more carbon is stored in soils, improving soil health and fighting climate change. But significant measurement challenges have held soil carbon efforts back - until now.”
Various Open Positions at BeZero:
“BeZero Carbon is a global ratings agency for the Voluntary Carbon Market. Our carbon credit ratings allow all market participants to price and manage risk. BeZero’s carbon ratings and research tools support buyers, intermediaries, investors, and carbon project developers.”
Postdoctoral Scientist in mCDR Modeling at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences | East Boothbay, ME
“Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences seeks a Postdoctoral Scientist for a three-year position beginning as soon as possible, to model the vertical transport of carbon by marine zooplankton. This position is part of an ARPA-E funded project focused on monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of ocean fertilization marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) strategies. The successful candidate will construct a trait-based model of carbon transport by vertically migrating zooplankton. To do so, this person will analyze extensive optical datasets to determine key parameterizations for the model, alongside co-PIs at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Science (BIOS) who have collected and curated the datasets. This model will then be used for sensitivity analyses to optimize implementation of vertical migration and associated carbon transport in a separate coupled regional-biogeochemical ocean model, which will be constructed and implemented by co-PIs at UCLA.”
Communications and Marketing Lead, Climate Tech at RMI | Remote - U.S.
“RMI is seeking a Communications and Marketing Lead to design and execute communications plans that accelerate the development, funding and market scaling of climate technology to avoid and remove emissions in line with a safer climate future. They will create and make use of diverse digital channels and media to advance RMI’s goals by engaging key audiences and stakeholders.”
🎙️PODCASTS
Tech to Fight the Climate Crisis: An inspirational conversation with Amir Shiner | ModeX - Helping to build + grow technology companies
“In this episode of the ModeX Podcast, host Hayley Jones interviews Amir Shiner, Co-Founder of RepAir - a deep tech solution to fight the climate crisis through selectively grasping CO2 molecules from the air, and separating & storing them, through the efficient low energy technology solution they have created.
50 billion tons of CO2 is released into the atmosphere every year! Around half of this can be handled by the planet - but the accumulation of the billions of tons, every year, which cannot, leaves us in a desperate situation.. the RepAir technology and the team behind it, are making a positive leap forward, to fight the climate crisis!
Amir talks to us about the crisis, why we are in it, and how RepAir technology works, to help to combat this.
A very inspiring, informative and important conversation.
Amir recommends a book called 'Between a Rock and a Hard Place' by Aron Ralston, a true story which gives valuable life perspective.”
We are closing in on zero-carbon cement | Volts
“The cement industry, responsible for roughly 8 percent of total global carbon emissions, is notoriously difficult to decarbonize. But a new startup, Sublime Systems, aims to manufacture zero-carbon cement that can easily be substituted for the traditional version. In this episode, Sublime CEO Leah Ellis talks through the company’s vision and process.”
A carbon removal New Year's special | The Carbon Curve
“Rahima and Na'im are back for another fun episode to reflect on launching Carbon Removal Canada, recap the last year of our lives, and look ahead to the next year in carbon removal.”
Fixing the messy voluntary carbon market | Catalyst with Shayle Kann
“The voluntary carbon market is a mess. Oil majors, big tech, and many other industries purchase voluntary credits hoping to offset their carbon emissions. But years of reporting have revealed major problems in the industry, from worthless credits to outright fraud. Amid allegations that many of its credits might actually worsen global warming, the CEO of the largest issuer of credits, Verra, resigned last year.
And so perhaps it’s no surprise that the market for traditional offsets like renewable energy credits and avoidance credits shrank in recent years. Yet the market for a newer type of credit, carbon removal, is actually growing.
So what’s behind this bifurcation in the market? And are the voluntary carbon markets fixable?
In this episode, Shayle talks to Ryan Orbuch, partner at Lowercarbon Capital. He leads the firm’s carbon removal work. Ryan argues the market is fixable with major reforms, like overhauling incentives and ditching the idea that the voluntary carbon market can offset buyers’ emissions with as many cheap credits as needed.
Shayle and Ryan cover topics like:
-The bad incentives underlying the problems with the current market.
-The role of credit-rating agencies in the market.
-Ryan’s ideas for designing a better market from scratch, including ex-post payments, modular protocols, and a feedback loop for improving supplier methods.
-The potential challenges with these approaches, like financing prior to payment and uncertainty in credit delivery as protocols change.
-Companies that are pioneering some of these approaches, like Isometric’s new protocol for the bio-oil geological storage technique used by Charm Industrial.”
Graphyte on Wharton Business Daily
“Graphyte’s Founder and CEO Barclay Rogers recently spoke with Dan Loney, host of Wharton Business Daily, Wharton's flagship show on SiriusXM Business Radio, about the company’s first carbon removal purchase agreement with American Airlines and how carbon casting can help other industries beyond aviation offset their carbon footprint.”
Blue carbon - Reithmaier | Reviewer 2 does geoengineering
“Gloria Reithmaier talks to @geoengineering1 about coastal blue carbon, work/life balance, and being a mum in academia. Paper: Reithmaier, G.M.S., Cabral, A., Akhand, A. et al. Carbonate chemistry and carbon sequestration driven by inorganic carbon outwelling from mangroves and saltmarshes. Nat Commun 14, 8196 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44037-w”
Festive Holly (Jean Buck) | Reviewer 2 does geoengineering
“Celebrate Xmas day with Holly, discussing Solar geoengineering research in the global public interest: A proposal for how to do it https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590332223005481”
🎥YOUTUBE VIDEOS
Practical Biochar Implementation Webinar: The 3 R’s of Biochar Application | AmericanFarmland
“Biochar is a stabilized carbon product made from various biomass sources via pyrolysis, a high-temperature low-oxygen process. Biochar can be applied to diverse soils and production systems. It can increase soil carbon sequestration, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, increase yield, and build healthy, high-functioning soils and more resilient agroecosystems.”
2023 Highlights | RepAir Carbon Capture
“We celebrated a significant achievement with the launch of RepAir's working prototype TRL6 in an operational environment, showcasing the technical performance of our next-generation carbon capture solution. Our hard work was also recognized with another grant from the Israel Innovation Authority totaling, 5 million NIS to date. Furthermore, we proudly joined Climate First’s Cohort II, solidifying our position as a key player in climate tech space. These, are just to name a few of accomplishments that were achieved in 2023.”
Construction of the world's first commercial-scale Wood Vault | Carbon Lockdown
“Wood Harvesting and Storage (WHS) is a 'deceptively simple' technology for carbon removal to combat climate change. Sustainably sourced residual woody biomass is stored in a specially engineered structure called Wood Vault. A few meters below a layer of low-permeability soil, in an oxygen-depleted environment, the wood is preserved and the embedded carbon that was recently captured from the atmosphere via photosynthesis is stored permanently. Wood vaulting is akin to the first step of natural coal formation, but at a drastically accelerated pace due to human intervention, offering a low-cost and powerful tool to undo fossil fuel emissions. This video shows the construction of the first trench of Carbon Lockdown's Potomac Project 1 where 100-tonne CO2-equivalent of un-merchantable wood residual was buried. http://carbonlockdown.net”
Biochar: How burning stubble could FIGHT air pollution | DW Planet A
“It's supposed to suck carbon out of the air, reduce air pollution and even generate energy. Biochar is produced by burning stubble, wood and other biomass and could help us solve many problems. But does it live up to the hype?”
Graphyte Wharton Business Daily Interview | Graphyte
Soil carbon on your farm, AgZero+ | UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
“Marek Nowakowski chats to Arezoo Taghizadeh Toosi from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology about soil carbon, including how to increase and measure it.”
New Greenhouse Gas Removal Pathways | Climate Emergency Forum
“The Centre for Climate Repair at the University of Cambridge (CCRC) and the Climate Emergency Forum (CEF) present a panel discussion at COP28 in Dubai, UAE on the topic of New Greenhouse Gas Removal Pathways.”
🚨DEADLINES
AirMiners Launchpad Batch #11 (Session: February to March 2024) | Application Deadline: 11 January 2024
“AirMiners Launchpad engages with entrepreneurs in an intensive six-week program for early carbon removal teams or individuals striving to advance their startup to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Applicants from underrepresented backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply!