Overview We all know what it’s like to forget to take out the trash and how quickly the mess builds up. Well, imagine that, but with the Earth’s atmosphere, as we continue to pump carbon dioxide into it every day. Ebb Carbon, a visionary startup from California, is on a mission to tackle this growing issue using our oceans as a natural ally in the fight against atmospheric carbon.
The Growing Need for Carbon Removal Carbon removal has become crucial as our planet struggles with excess carbon dioxide, which acts like a heat-trapping blanket. This excess leads to harsher weather, like droughts and hurricanes, and subsequent water and food shortages. Our natural resources such as oceans, forests, and soils, known as carbon sinks, are overwhelmed by the increasing levels of carbon pollution.
Ebb Carbon’s Innovative Approach Ebb Carbon is pioneering a process that can significantly fast-track this natural carbon-absorbing method:
- How it Works: Using a method called electrochemistry, Ebb Carbon’s technology splits seawater into two components—acid and alkaline. The alkaline water is then reintroduced into the ocean, sparking a reaction that captures carbon dioxide from the air and stores it in the ocean. Meanwhile, the acid component is safely stored on land for other uses.
- Quick Results: According to Ben Tarbell, CEO and co-founder of Ebb Carbon, “We’re essentially accelerating a natural process. So instead of taking millions of years [to happen], it takes weeks to months.”
- Demonstration and Capacity: The company has set up a demonstration project in Washington state at the Sequim Bay facility, designed to remove around 100 tons of carbon dioxide annually when operating at full capacity.
Partnerships and Predictions Ebb Carbon isn’t working alone. They’ve partnered with major research bodies like the NOAA and the University of Washington to explore how this technology might perform on a larger scale and to understand its potential impacts on ocean ecosystems.
The Promise of Ocean-Based Solutions Ocean-based carbon removal methods are becoming more prominent as part of the global response to climate change. Despite international efforts to reduce emissions, it’s widely recognized, including by entities like the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, that these measures won’t suffice on their own. Oceans, which have absorbed about 30% of human-released carbon dioxide since the Industrial Revolution, play a pivotal role, albeit at the cost of increased acidity which poses its own set of challenges.
Why Ebb Carbon Stands Out Ebb Carbon’s system represents a significant advancement in carbon removal technologies. By enhancing and leveraging the ocean’s natural carbon absorption processes, this innovative approach.
