A startup in Nova Scotia is conducting trials on a technique to capture and retain more carbon in the ocean, using a new experimental facility to validate the idea. The ocean currently serves as a significant repository for surplus carbon dioxide, having absorbed roughly 30% of all human-induced carbon emissions since the 1980s. pHathom, the company behind the initiative, aims to enhance the removal of emissions from the atmosphere by capturing carbon dioxide and transforming it into a form that can be securely stored in the ocean for thousands of years.
The testing of this method will take place at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre in St. Andrews, N.B. Kimberly Gilbert, the co-founder and CEO, emphasized that demonstrating the safety and efficacy of the approach at a local level is crucial, given that climate change is a global issue but implementing solutions in local environments requires proof of safety.
The company’s process is inspired by a natural phenomenon where raindrops absorb carbon dioxide from the air, becoming slightly acidic, and when they fall on alkaline rocks like limestone, the carbon dioxide is converted into bicarbonate. pHathom replicates this process in a reactor by exposing seawater to the emissions from a biomass power plant, making the water acidic, mixing it with limestone particles to convert the carbon dioxide into bicarbonate, and then reintroducing it into the ocean with the same pH level as regular seawater.
Several Nova Scotia firms are exploring variations of this carbon removal approach called alkalinity enhancement. pHathom’s method stands out for its use of highly concentrated carbon dioxide, making the process more effective. The pilot phase aims to capture 0.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide daily, with the treated water being used for testing tanks to observe its impact on various marine species over a three-month period.
If successful, pHathom plans to expand its operations with a second trial site in Nova Scotia next year, integrating the reactor into a building transitioning from a fossil-fuel boiler to a biomass system. Despite the potential of carbon removal technologies, challenges such as energy consumption and scalability remain significant hurdles that need to be addressed.
The urgency of the climate crisis underscores the importance of exploring promising removal technologies, contingent upon continued efforts to shift away from fossil fuels. Canada is recognized as a leader in ocean alkalinity enhancement research, with calls for international collaboration and regulatory frameworks to promote these technologies. Despite recent policy changes affecting carbon capture projects, Gilbert remains hopeful that a global shift towards sustainable practices will drive the adoption of proven technologies when the time comes.