Startups aim to curb climate change by pulling carbon dioxide from the ocean—not the air.

The article focuses on emerging technologies that capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from seawater using renewable energy as a potentially cheaper and more efficient alternative to direct air capture. Startups such as Captura Corporation and Equatic, both based in Los Angeles, are developing systems that extract CO2 from seawater through electrochemical processes, with plans to scale up operations and store or utilize the captured carbon. These ocean-based methods leverage the higher natural concentration of CO2 in seawater compared to air, aiming to reduce costs to around $100 per ton, below current direct air capture expenses. Challenges include accurately measuring CO2 absorption rates after water is returned to the ocean and securing government incentives comparable to those for air capture. Despite promising advances, experts emphasize the need for significant scaling to meet global carbon removal targets by 2050.