Published by Todd Bush on September 27, 2024
Microsoft Signs Third Rock Weathering Carbon Capture Deal This Week
Microsoft has signed another carbon removal deal with a company that uses crushed rocks to capture carbon out of rainwater. This marks Microsoft's third carbon removal agreement this week, highlighting its ongoing commitment to sustainability and carbon-negative operations.
>> In Other News: Norway: Northern Lights Facilities Completed and Ready to Store CO2
Lithos Carbon this week announced Microsoft as a return customer, having signed a new, three-year agreement to permanently remove CO₂ using enhanced rock weathering (ERW). Lithos Carbon’s newest agreement with Microsoft covers more than 11,400 metric tons of permanent carbon removal.
Natural rock weathering draws CO₂ from the atmosphere, and ERW aims to mimic and accelerate this natural process. This technique allows rainwater to react with basalt, trapping CO₂ as bicarbonate, which eventually flows into the ocean.
Lithos Carbon deploys basalt on croplands; rainwater reacts with the silicate rock, trapping the CO₂ and releasing minerals that enrich the soil. The trapped CO₂ is then sequestered as bicarbonate, making this process beneficial both for carbon capture and soil health.
"Microsoft has been a worldwide leader in sustainability, and we’re thrilled to work with them as a backer of our catalytic, data-driven project," said Mary Yap, CEO of Lithos Carbon. "Our mission is to transform cropland into carbon capture centers, with a goal of removing a billion tons of CO₂ over the next decade."
Lithos Carbon has previously delivered 500 tons of carbon removal for Microsoft by deploying ultra-fine, organic-grade volcanic basalt rock dust on US farmland. The company continues to work with over 100 farmers across nine states, demonstrating the scalability of its solution.
"Supporting innovative solutions is central to Microsoft’s carbon removal strategy," said Brian Marrs, Senior Director of Energy Markets at Microsoft. "Lithos Carbon’s improvements in enhanced rock weathering systems align perfectly with our pursuit of high-quality carbon dioxide removal projects."
Microsoft is aiming to be carbon-negative by 2030 and is actively pursuing this goal by signing renewable energy contracts en masse, as well as investing in carbon capture and removal projects that offset its historical emissions. This agreement with Lithos Carbon is part of Microsoft's broader strategy to combat climate change through innovative, scalable technologies.
This is the third carbon removal deal Microsoft has announced this week, and the third involving ERW.
The cloud company also announced a follow-on deal with Undo, which will remove 15,000 tonnes of CO₂ by spreading 65,000 tonnes of crushed silicate rock across the UK and Canada. This is the second deal Microsoft has signed with Undo, further cementing its leadership in the carbon removal space.
In addition, Microsoft has partnered with Eion, which will deliver 8,000 tons of CO₂ removal over the next five years through its own ERW process. Eion's deployment of olivine on Mid-Atlantic farmlands after the Fall harvest adds another layer to Microsoft's robust carbon removal portfolio.
Lithos Carbon uses enhanced rock weathering to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Its technology deploys finely crushed basalt rock on croplands, which reacts with rainwater to sequester CO₂ while enriching the soil. The company aims to remove a billion tons of carbon dioxide within the next decade through partnerships with major corporations and farmers.
Follow the money flow of climate, technology, and energy investments to uncover new opportunities and jobs.
Inside This Issue 💧 Vema Hydrogen Secures $13 Million to Produce Clean Hydrogen Below $1 per Kilogram 🏭 Air Liquide Could Pursue Just Two Out of Six Us Hydrogen Hubs After Trump Halts Funding 🪨 Sc...
Inside This Issue 🏭 Wood Operating Innovative Pilot Carbon Capture Plant in Wyoming 🌍 Tiktok and Two Drifters Secure Carbon Removal for Long-term Economic Gains 🌬️ Hydron Energy Receives Funding S...
Inside This Issue 🤝 Tech Titans and Energy Giants Join Forces to Transform Voluntary Carbon Markets 🌲 How Amazon Approaches Carbon Credits, a Key Tool in the Fight Against Climate Change 💰 Canada ...
Air Liquide Could Pursue Just Two Out of Six Us Hydrogen Hubs After Trump Halts Funding
Feb 21 (Reuters) – France's Air Liquide said on Friday that only two out of their six previously awarded hydrogen projects for the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) might move forward after President...
Pall Corporation and MTR Carbon Capture Partner to Advance Carbon Capture Solutions
This collaboration is designed to help customers accelerate their decarbonization goals Integrates Pall’s advanced flue gas filtration and coalescer technology with MTR’s Polaris™ membrane system ...
Vast Reserves of Game-changing Clean Fuel May Be Hidden Under Mountain Ranges, Scientists Find
Large reserves of white hydrogen may exist within mountain ranges, according to a new study, raising hopes this clean-burning gas can be extracted and supercharge efforts to tackle the climate cris...
Scientists Discover Low-cost Way to Trap Carbon Using Common Rocks
The new process uses heat to transform common minerals into materials that permanently sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide. Stanford Chemists Develop Low-Cost Process for Permanent CO2 Removal S...
Follow the money flow of climate, technology, and energy investments to uncover new opportunities and jobs.