A startup in Nova Scotia is conducting trials on a technique to trap and retain more carbon in the sea, using a novel pilot facility to validate the idea. The sea already serves as a significant repository for surplus carbon dioxide, having absorbed roughly 30% of all human-induced carbon emissions since the 1980s.
The company, pHathom, is striving to draw out more emissions from the atmosphere by capturing carbon dioxide and transforming it into a secure ocean-storable form for thousands of years. The initial trial of their 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 effectiveness of the approach is crucial.
The process employed by the company imitates a natural occurrence where raindrops, as they fall, absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and become slightly acidic. When these raindrops hit an alkaline rock like limestone, a portion of the rock dissolves, reducing the water’s acidity and converting the carbon dioxide into bicarbonate. Ultimately, this process leads to the bicarbonate being stored in the ocean for extended periods, thereby keeping carbon dioxide away from the atmosphere.
Other firms in Nova Scotia are also experimenting with various versions of this carbon removal approach, known as alkalinity enhancement. pHathom’s technique offers the advantage of utilizing highly concentrated carbon dioxide, enhancing efficiency, and providing measurability of environmental impacts due to the contained reaction.
The pilot phase aims to capture 0.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide daily, which, in comparison, is a fraction of the emissions produced by the Belledune coal-fired power plant in northern New Brunswick annually. The process generates treated water for testing tanks, where scientists monitor its effects on various marine species over a three-month period.
If successful, pHathom intends to expand its operations with a second test site in Nova Scotia next year, integrating their reactor into a building transitioning from a fossil-fuel boiler to a biomass system. However, scaling up any carbon removal technology poses a significant challenge, as indicated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) models.
Despite hurdles such as energy consumption and regulatory constraints, researchers stress the importance of exploring promising removal technologies alongside efforts to reduce fossil fuel usage. Canada has been recognized as a leader in ocean alkalinity enhancement research, with calls for the government to spearhead global implementation and regulatory frameworks.
While changes in federal policies have introduced uncertainties, industry players like Gilbert remain hopeful that a shift towards sustainable and economically feasible practices will lead to widespread adoption of carbon-capture technologies when the need arises.