The world’s largest direct carbon removal (CDR) facility, capable of eliminating over 109,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, is being constructed in Quebec, Canada.
Design of the Equatic plant in Quebec. (Image: Equatic).
Equatic is building a CDR facility to enhance ocean mechanisms that act as carbon sinks, thereby reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, as reported by Interesting Engineering on June 27. The company is demonstrating its technology at two pilot plants in Los Angeles and Singapore. Equatic’s approach to CDR involves running electrical current through seawater. This process separates water into hydrogen and oxygen, generating byproducts in the form of an acid and a base. The carbon is stored in the water in a solid form. The alkaline water produced during the process is used to absorb more carbon from the atmosphere, utilizing cooling towers. Another advantage of the process is the production of hydrogen, which can be sold separately or used to operate the facility.
The plant that Equatic is constructing in Singapore can process 4,000 tons of CO2 and is expected to be operational by the end of this year. Meanwhile, Equatic’s commercial-scale project in Quebec aims to process 109,500 tons of CO2 and produce 3,600 tons of green hydrogen annually. The company expects to achieve this goal with an energy demand of less than 1.4 MW per ton of CO2 removed.
The oceans are among the largest absorbers of human-released carbon, removing up to 25% of carbon emissions each year. Studies have shown that if replicated, this process could help eliminate billions of tons of CO2 from Earth’s atmosphere. This could be a key tool in mitigating climate change, as reducing greenhouse gases alone is insufficient to prevent global warming. There is a pressing need for proactive carbon removal measures. Equatic’s technology represents the world’s first commercial-scale CDR deployment project.
Researchers estimate that removing one ton of CO2 from the atmosphere will cost between $230 and $540 by 2050. However, since Equatic’s technology allows them to generate profit through hydrogen sales, the company estimates they could reduce the cost of carbon removal to below $100 per ton by the end of the decade. Additionally, Equatic has shared that their plant in Singapore will be equipped with seawater filters to eliminate any marine organisms before bringing them into the facility.
