Ebb Carbon Field Study

Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) technologies, which can remove CO2 from the atmosphere and store it in the ocean, have garnered increased attention due to high-profile net-zero emissions pledges, a growing start-up landscape, lagging emissions reductions, and engineering breakthroughs. OAE is particularly attractive because it could be deployed at the scales needed to remove gigatons of CO2 at a relatively low cost per ton. However, additional research into the ecosystem effects and safety of OAE is necessary before deciding to deploy at such scales.

This project aims to resolve how key marine microbes will respond to OAE pilot interventions by performing genetic sequencing measurements before, during, and after alkalinity releases at Ebb Carbon’s Project Macoma site in Port Angeles, WA. These sequencing measurements will be paired with a comprehensive suite of geochemical and biological observations to identify the “winners,” “losers,” and neutral responders (i.e., responses that are too small or short-lived to be observed) within the microbial community following alkalinity addition. The ability to detect and assess ecological impacts will be critical if OAE efforts are to proceed with sufficient social license. These monitoring efforts will provide a framework for expanding OAE applications by generating high-resolution datasets that are broadly applicable across marine ecosystems.