Unveiling Our Abilities, Skills, and Potential Strengths
World Needs to Remove 5-10 Gigatons of CO2 Annually by 2050 to Limit Global Warming to 1.5°C, According to the IPCC. Direct Air Capture (DAC) is one solution being considered for this mission, with 27 DAC plants worldwide capturing approximately 0.01 million tons of CO2 per year. The ocean, which holds 150 times more CO2 per liter than the air, represents a largely untapped opportunity for engineered carbon removal.
One startup, SeaO2, is capitalizing on this opportunity by creating Direct Ocean Capture (DOC), a technology that retrofits existing infrastructure like desalination and thermal cooling plants for efficient CO2 extraction. While DOC is still in its infancy, its higher efficiency potential and vast resource base suggest it could be a game-changer in the race for carbon removal.
During an interview with Zamin Syed, Founder's Associate at SeaO2, we discussed how their technology operates and its potential impact. Syed also highlighted the advantages of removing CO2 where it's most concentrated – in the ocean – due to higher CO2 concentration and easier extraction.
Syed's role at SeaO2 includes engaging with investors, potential customers, and innovators to advance the Direct Ocean Capture (DOC) technology. He has also been involved in research and monitoring frameworks for SeaO2's electrochemical DOC process, ensuring its environmental impact and verification methods are assessed.
Making Carbon Capture Plug-and-Play
SeaO2 is a climate tech startup focusing on Direct Ocean Capture (DOC), a novel method for carbon dioxide removal. Instead of targeting atmospheric CO2 like traditional DAC systems, SeaO2 concentrates on extracting carbon directly from seawater. With a modular system designed for easy retrofitting, the company aims to integrate seamlessly into existing water-based infrastructure.
Following a successful €2.2M seed round, SeaO2 is developing a 25-ton-per-year system and planning for a 250-ton pilot, with ambitions for gigaton-scale carbon removal in the long term.
How is DOC Different from Other Carbon Capture Systems?
SeaO2's approach to DOC is unique, with a focus on removing CO2 specifically from seawater. The company has also designed its system to retrofit into existing infrastructure, optimizing for efficiency without requiring vast land or heavy new infrastructure.
Could DOC Outperform DAC?
While not aiming to outperform DAC, DOC has some advantages. Higher CO2 concentration in seawater may result in more efficient capture, as well as potential energy savings. The ocean's vast space also allows for room to scale without land constraints.
How Does SeaO2 Technology Work and Stay Carbon Negative?
SeaO2's system separates seawater into acidic and alkaline water, extracting CO2 and releasing decarbonized water back into the ocean. The company plans to conduct comprehensive life cycle assessments to ensure every aspect of their process contributes to verified carbon removal, utilizing renewable energy and partnering with organizations to minimize their environmental impact.
Challenges Facing Scaling to Gigaton Levels
Scaling DOC to gigaton levels is no easy feat. Key challenges include policy catch-up, investor understanding, siting decisions, and technical challenges as they scale. However, SeaO2 has designed its systems to be modular, integrating easily into existing water pumping operations.
Carbon Credits and Future Plans
SeaO2 has sold about 140 carbon credits as pre-purchases, with plans to deliver them once their full-scale pilot is operational. The startup will also focus on building a 25-ton-per-year CO2 removal system in the near future, scaling up to a 250-ton pilot by next year. Over the coming months, their efforts will be directed towards testing, troubleshooting, learning, and raising investment for the next phase.
Meet Our Interviewer – Shabaz Khan
Interested in discovering scalable startups innovating in carbon capture technologies? Please contact our experts by filling out the form below.
Get in touch
For more information on SeaO2 and their DOC technology, please fill out the form below.
Evaluating the Enrichment Data, it appears that while Direct Air Capture (DAC) is currently more efficient and scalable due to its maturity and global deployment, Direct Ocean Capture (DOC) offers unique potential given the ocean's capacity to absorb CO2. By leveraging existing infrastructure for carbon removal, DOC could be crucial for addressing ocean acidification and supporting ecosystem health if developed responsibly.
- The startup, SeaO2, is utilizing Direct Ocean Capture (DOC) technology to extract carbon dioxide directly from seawater, thus offering a novel approach in environmental-science for carbon removal that differs from traditional Direct Air Capture (DAC) systems.
- As SeaO2's technology operates by concentrating on seawater, it holds the potential to impact climate-change mitigation efforts more effectively, given the higher CO2 concentration and easier extraction in the ocean environment compared to the atmosphere.
