Ebb Carbon wants to pull CO2 from the sky with electricity and…

Ebb Raises $25 Million in Funding for Sustainable Ocean-Based Carbon Removal Technology

Since launching in 2021, Ebb has raised over $25 million in seed and venture capital funding to develop and deploy its electrochemical system, which can fit inside a 20-foot shipping container.

The Ebb System: A Sustainable Solution for Carbon Removal

Ebb’s technology, developed by Matt Eisaman, the company’s CTO and co-founder, builds on years of research. The system aims to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from seawater, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 14: Life Below Water.

Partnerships and Operations

Ebb plans to partner with existing sites that already process seawater, such as desalination plants or aquaculture facilities. The company will intercept some of the saltwater and, using electricity, run it through a stack of ion-selective membranes. The device then rearranges the salt and water molecules to produce two streams — one acidic (hydrogen chloride) and the other alkaline (a dilute form of sodium hydroxide). The acid is kept on land, while the alkaline seawater flows back out through the site’s wastewater system.

Positive Impacts on Marine Life and Ocean Acidification

When alkalinity is added to seawater, it reacts with the CO2 in the atmosphere to become bicarbonate, a form of carbon that can stay trapped in the sea for thousands of years without increasing the ocean’s acidity. This process can act as an antacid to protect marine life from increasingly hostile waters. The ocean has absorbed roughly 30 percent of the carbon dioxide released by humans since the Industrial Revolution, causing ocean acidification that harms coral and shell-forming animals and disrupts fish behavior.

Ocean-Based Solutions and the Need for Research

While ocean-based CO2 removal technologies hold promise, there is a lack of well-established research on their effectiveness and potential impacts on marine environments. Environmental groups are calling for more urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions instead of relying solely on technological fixes. Carbon180, a nonprofit advocating for carbon removal solutions, emphasizes the need for more data and research to understand the implications of ocean-based carbon dioxide removal.

Research and Testing at PNNL’s Sequim Bay Facility

Ebb Carbon is collaborating with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to conduct research and testing at the Sequim Bay facility. Scientists are using sensors and software controls to measure the water’s acidity and alkalinity after it runs through the electrochemical system. They are also studying the effects of varying pH levels on marine organisms. The data collected informs computer models that predict the system’s performance at larger scales and in real-world conditions.

Funding and Future Plans

The research project at PNNL’s Sequim Bay facility has received funding from various organizations, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Ocean Acidification Program, the Department of Energy’s Water Power Technology Office, the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, and the nonprofit ClimateWorks Foundation. Ebb Carbon and PNNL aim to establish a “center of excellence” in the future to support other carbon-removal companies in testing and validating their ocean-based technologies.

Overall, Ebb’s sustainable ocean-based carbon removal technology shows promise in addressing climate change and protecting marine ecosystems. Continued research and collaboration are crucial to ensure the effectiveness and environmental sustainability of such solutions.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters
   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
   • Indicator: The article discusses the impact of human-caused climate change on ocean acidification and rising ocean temperatures, highlighting the need for climate action to address these issues.

2. SDG 14: Life Below Water

   • Target 14.3: Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification
   • Target 14.5: By 2020, conserve at least 10 percent of coastal and marine areas
   • Indicator: The article discusses the harmful effects of ocean acidification on coral, shell-forming animals, and fish behavior, emphasizing the need to minimize and address these impacts.

3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development
   • Indicator: The article mentions partnerships between Ebb Carbon, Yale University, and various funding organizations, highlighting the importance of partnerships in advancing sustainable development goals.

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: canarymedia.com

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