Project Highlights
Carbonwave
Sargassum is a genus of macroalgae commonly found in the Caribbean – and it’s causing major problems. The region is experiencing massive inundations of sargassum, which is getting worse as climate change accelerates. As massive amounts of this biomass float in the sea and washes on the shore, it kills aquatic life and causes significant economic damage.
In Quintana Roo, Mexico, tourism dropped by as much as 35% during recent sargassum inundations. Excessive sargassum growth has been described as “the greatest single threat” to the Caribbean. On shore, sargassum accumulates in vast brown heaps, releases noxious hydrogen sulfide gas, emits methane as it decomposes and even leaks arsenic. It also kills vital shore and near-shore species, including benthic microorganisms and animals.
Carbonomics drafted a new Gold Standard methodology (now approved) to help a company called Carbonwave change that. Carbonwave has created the means to collect hundreds of thousands of tons of sargassum at key points around the Caribbean – including in Mexico and Puerto Rico (where it already has a small operating facility). The biomass can be used as a feedstock for various useful products, including fertilizers and bioplastics. This diversion of organic waste reduces GHG emissions both through methane avoidance and from the displacement of more carbon-intensive materials, such as petroleum-based plastic. Carbonomics is managing the entire project’s carbon accreditation (currently in validation), and in September of 2024, Carbonwave won the Environmental Finance Award for best offsetting project of the year.
CarbonCure
Carbonomics drafted the first CCUS methodology for concrete on the Verra registry. This first-of-its-kind protocol quantifies GHG reductions from capturing and mineralizing CO2 into concrete, as well as the reduction in Portland Cement usage. Thus, the methodology represents both an avoidance and a removal component. Carbonomics also helped CarbonCure get its first project through validation and verification. As a result of the carbon asset created by this methodology, CarbonCure raised $25 million from Invert, greatly expanding CarbonCure’s business. This shows the power of the Voluntary Carbon Market to scale innovative Climate Tech companies.
Karbonetiq
Carbonomics recently partnered with Karbonetiq, which has developed an innovative technology that mineralizes atmospheric CO2 in waste materials, such as waste from cement plants that are high in calcium oxide (CaO). Carbonomics is helping Karbonetiq identify waste piles that would be suitable candidates for this process and then registering projects on the Puro registry.
The Karbolith technology uses nature to drive air through and across beds of minerals laid out
around the unit. Sunlight heats air inside the Karbolith to drive buoyancy driven airflow. Wind is caught on the unit’s wind turbines to pull even more air through the Karbolith. Karbonetiq also lightly processes the minerals to enhance reactivity with the air.
