US Government Approves Ocean Alkalinity Project to Enhance Seawater’s Carbon Absorption Capacity, Supporting Climate Change Efforts.

The US government has approved the first time the Biden administration has supported a research project by researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to increase the carbon-absorbing capacity of seawater. The project involves using a solution of sodium hydroxide, a process known as ocean alkalinity enhancement, to test whether seawater can absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than previously. The EPA has announced draft permits for the project, which could potentially trigger more scientific and commercial efforts to alter the world’s oceans to limit global warming. The approval of this project represents a significant milestone for marine carbon dioxide removal startups like Equatic, which recently promised to remove 62,000 metric tons of carbon for Boeing.