1 month ago
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Following a pilot project in Singapore, start-up Equatic is set to build a massive marine carbon removal facility in Quebec, aiming to address climate change by sequestering atmospheric CO2.
Ramin Skibba reports for Hakai Magazine.
In short:
- Equatic plans a Quebec plant with 300 electrolyzers to capture 110,000 tonnes of carbon annually, using a process that turns CO2 into stable byproducts.
- The company’s method involves seawater electrolysis, producing bicarbonate released back into the ocean and calcium carbonate used in agriculture.
- Critics express concerns about ecological risks and transparency as large-scale marine carbon removal remains under-researched.
Key quote:
“There’s a mix of real concern about ecological impacts, and also hope that this is something that could be a positive thing for their communities.”
— Sara Nawaz, environmental social scientist and carbon removal policy expert at American University
Why this matters:
Marine carbon capture technologies, still in their infancy, may play a critical role in climate mitigation. Scaling up these efforts can help close the gap between current emission reductions and the goals of the Paris Agreement, but potential environmental risks must be thoroughly examined.
Learn more: Carbon capture technology faces cost and scale challenges
