New Technology Stores Carbon in the Ocean—Without Adding Acid

Summary

Scientists at PNNL's Sequim laboratory are exploring innovative ways to harness the ocean's natural ability to absorb carbon dioxide, aiming to combat climate change. The ocean already absorbs a significant amount of CO2, but its increasing acidity harms marine life. Researchers are testing carbon removal technologies, such as a partnership with EB Carbon, which works to enhance CO2 uptake while reducing ocean acidification. These efforts could lead to large-scale solutions that may help remove gigatons of carbon annually, advancing a more sustainable, greener world.

Takeaways

• 😀 Earth's climate is warming, and ocean-based solutions are being explored to mitigate this issue.
• 😀 PNNL Sequim laboratory is the only DOE national laboratory with a marine-specific facility focused on carbon dioxide absorption research.
• 😀 The ocean has the capacity to absorb large amounts of CO2, holding 150 times more CO2 in a cup of ocean water compared to regular air.
• 😀 CO2 reacts in the ocean to form carbonic acid, bicarbonate, and carbonate, which slightly slows global warming.
• 😀 However, this increased CO2 absorption is causing ocean acidification, which is harming marine life, particularly shellfish and coral reefs.
• 😀 PNNL Sequim researchers are exploring methods to enhance CO2 removal from the atmosphere, using both basic experiments and large-scale tests with industry partners.
• 😀 One approach being studied is stimulating biological CO2 uptake in the ocean.
• 😀 PNNL Sequim has partnered with EB Carbon, a company developing a technology to help the ocean absorb more CO2 and reduce ocean acidification.
• 😀 The EB Carbon technology works by breaking seawater into acid and base products, removing the acid and using it in industries like concrete production.
• 😀 Adding the base back into the ocean promotes greater CO2 uptake, helping mitigate the negative effects of acidification.
• 😀 Future research will test EB Carbon’s technology in collaboration with NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and the University of Washington to assess the potential for large-scale CO2 absorption by the ocean.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of the research being conducted at PNNL Sequim?

The primary goal of the research at PNNL Sequim is to harness the ocean's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide and help slow down the effects of climate change.

Why is PNNL Sequim uniquely positioned for marine carbon dioxide removal research?

PNNL Sequim is uniquely positioned because it is the only Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory with a marine-specific facility dedicated to studying marine carbon dioxide removal.

How much carbon dioxide can a cup of ocean water hold compared to a cup of air?

A cup of ocean water can hold 150 times the amount of carbon dioxide as a cup of regular air.

What happens to carbon dioxide when it dissolves in the ocean?

When carbon dioxide dissolves in the ocean, it reacts to create inorganic carbon molecules like carbonic acid, bicarbonate, and carbonate.

What is one negative effect of the ocean absorbing CO2?

One negative effect is that the ocean is becoming more acidic, which damages marine life, particularly shellfish, coral reefs, and the animals dependent on them.

What are the two main types of research being conducted at PNNL Sequim?

The two main types of research at PNNL Sequim are fundamental research on carbon dioxide removal and applied science aimed at developing commercially viable technologies for carbon removal at large scales.

What is the role of EB Carbon in the research at PNNL Sequim?

EB Carbon is a private company partnering with PNNL Sequim to develop technology that enhances the ocean's ability to absorb CO2 while also helping to reduce ocean acidification.

How does the technology developed by EB Carbon work?

EB Carbon's technology breaks seawater into acid and base product streams, removes the acid from the ocean for use in other industries (like concrete production), and adds the base back into the ocean, which promotes CO2 uptake.

What is the ultimate goal of the experiments conducted with EB Carbon's technology?

The ultimate goal is to test and potentially scale up the technology to allow the ocean to take up gigatons of carbon dioxide per year, contributing significantly to carbon removal efforts.

Which organizations are involved in the partnership to test EB Carbon's technology?

The partnership involves PNNL Sequim, NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, and the University of Washington's Salish Sea Modeling Center.