In an effort to mitigate the impact of their pollution on the climate, several major companies have partnered with a startup called Terradot to trap carbon dioxide using rocks. The initiative involves enhanced rock weathering (ERW), which is a relatively low-tech strategy for removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
Multimillion Dollar Deals
Google and other big companies, including H&M Group and Salesforce, have collectively agreed to pay Terradot $27 million to remove 90,000 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This deal was brokered by Frontier, a carbon removal initiative led by Stripe, Google, Shopify, and McKinsey Sustainability.
Google’s Additional Deal
Separately, Google announced that it would be purchasing an additional 200,000 tons of carbon removal from Terradot. While the company declined to disclose the cost of this deal, industry estimates suggest that it could add up to $60 million. However, Google claims that it expects the price to decrease over time for this larger deal.
Enhanced Rock Weathering Explained
ERW is a technique that accelerates the natural process of rock weathering, which can take thousands of years. When rocks are crushed and spread out over a large area, they increase the surface area exposed to rainwater, which reacts with CO2 in the atmosphere, forming bicarbonate that is eventually carried to the ocean.
Terradot’s Strategy
Terradot uses basalt from quarries in southern Brazil to implement ERW on nearby farms. The finely-ground basalt helps manage soil pH, and carbon removal is a bonus. The startup has partnered with Brazil’s agricultural research agency (EMBRAPA) to use this strategy on over 2 million hectares of land.
Challenges Ahead
One of the challenges facing Terradot is measuring the effectiveness of its ERW process in removing CO2 from the atmosphere. Google acknowledges that it is difficult to measure with precision how much CO2 is trapped, but notes that deploying this approach widely in the real world will help develop more rigorous measurement tools.
Expert Opinions
Oliver Jagoutz, a professor of geology at MIT, believes that ERW has the potential to make a significant impact on climate change. "I think it’s a big deal," he says. "I wish these guys all the best." However, he also notes that there are uncertainties surrounding how much CO2 is actually captured and stored.
Carbon Removal: A Last Resort?
While carbon removal technologies like ERW have the potential to slow climate change, experts caution against relying on them as a substitute for emissions reductions. "It’s very clear that this is not a substitute for emissions reductions at all," says Kanoff. "We need both of these tools."
Google’s Commitment to Clean Energy
As part of its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, Google has announced plans to develop advanced nuclear reactors and new solar and wind farms to power its energy-hungry AI data centers. While ERW is a step in the right direction, switching to clean energy remains the most effective way to stop climate change.
Conclusion
The partnership between Terradot and major companies like Google highlights the importance of exploring innovative solutions to mitigate the impact of pollution on the climate. However, it also underscores the need for caution and careful evaluation of the effectiveness of these technologies in removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
