Tech Companies Spent Millions on Climate Fix That's Surprisingly Simple: Just Rocks.

Countering Climate Pollution: Google and Big Companies Invest in Carbon Dioxide Removal

In an effort to mitigate the impact of pollution on the climate, big companies like Google, H&M Group, and Salesforce have partnered with a startup called Terradot. The company has secured a $27 million deal from Frontier, a carbon removal initiative led by Stripe, Google, Shopify, and McKinsey Sustainability. This agreement will enable Terradot to remove 90,000 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The Largest ERW Deal Yet

Google has also announced a separate deal with Terradot to purchase an additional 200,000 tons of carbon removal. While the company declined to disclose the cost of this deal, it is expected to be similar to the Frontier agreement, which translates to approximately $60 million. This purchase marks the largest transaction yet for enhanced rock weathering (ERW), a strategy used by Terradot to slow climate change.

A Low-Tech Solution with Significant Backing

Enhanced rock weathering attempts to accelerate a natural process that might otherwise take thousands of years to occur. Rainfall naturally breaks down rocks, releasing calcium and magnesium, which triggers a chemical reaction that traps CO2 in water as bicarbonate. Groundwater carrying this bicarbonate eventually makes its way to the ocean, where it is stored, keeping it out of the atmosphere.

This low-tech tactic has gained significant backing from major players like Google, H&M Group, and Salesforce. However, experts caution that carbon removal is not a substitute for preventing greenhouse gas emissions in the first place.

Terradot’s Journey

Terradot was born out of a research project at Stanford University. CEO James Kanoff, CPO Sasankh Munukutla, and chief scientist Scott Fendorf co-founded the company shortly before graduating in 2022. Kanoff had previously dropped out of Stanford to co-found the Farmlink Project, which connects food banks to farms with excess produce.

Kanoff met Sheryl Sandberg through this initiative, who later became an investor in Terradot. In a press release, Sandberg praised Terradot’s leadership and technology: "These are proven leaders, which is rare to find in an early-stage company… They have the drive, the right technology, and a strong focus on execution to succeed."

Carbon Removal Strategies

Carbon dioxide removal encompasses a range of strategies aimed at taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. These technologies could potentially help slow climate change by trapping some of the pollution released over the years.

However, there are concerns about the costs, safety, and potential delays in transitioning from fossil fuels to carbon-pollution-free energy. Experts emphasize that preventing greenhouse gas emissions is still the most effective way to combat climate change.

Measuring Success

One of the challenges facing Terradot is measuring the success of their ERW strategy. The company plans to take soil samples to assess how much CO2 is captured based on how the rock degrades over time. However, it’s harder to determine how much calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate makes its way to the ocean to permanently sequester CO2.

Fertilizer in the soil can potentially limit carbon capture through enhanced rock weathering. "How much they sequester is still the outstanding question," says geologist Markus Jagutz. However, he doesn’t think uncertainty should stop trials in the real world: "I also think, why not try? I don’t think we have the luxury to overthink it right now."

The Limitations of Carbon Removal

While Google’s carbon removal efforts are a step in the right direction, they represent only a small fraction of the company’s legacy pollution. In 2022, Google was responsible for releasing 14.3 million metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.

Experts agree that switching to clean energy is still the most effective way to combat climate change. Carbon removal can be seen as an attempt to counteract some of a company’s legacy pollution while they make this transition. "It’s very clear that this is not a substitute for emissions reductions at all… we need both of these tools," says Kanoff.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Google and big companies are investing in carbon dioxide removal through enhanced rock weathering. While this strategy has gained significant backing, experts emphasize the importance of preventing greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change. The success of Terradot’s ERW strategy will depend on their ability to measure and optimize their approach.

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