[ECO]Microsoft Carbon Removal Partnership with Lithos Carbon

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Lithos Carbon signs a new three-year agreement with

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carbon removal using enhanced rock weathering.

Lithos Carbon, a company specializing in Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) for carbon dioxide removal, has announced a new three-year agreement with

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. This

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Carbon Removal partnership aims to advance research and deliver permanent, verified carbon removal to support

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’s environmental goals.

The agreement builds on Lithos Carbon’s previous work with the

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carbon removal arm, which removed 500 tons of carbon dioxide by December 2023. This was achieved by applying ultra-fine, organic-grade volcanic basalt rock dust on farmland across the ******* States.

Lithos Carbon has established a novel carbon removal research field for

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carbon removal as part of the expanded collaboration. Located in a subtropical environment, this project utilizes high-resolution measurement validation to generate comprehensive datasets. The initiative is designed to facilitate more rapid ERW technology deployment while enhancing carbon accounting standards.

Central to the new agreement is Lithos Carbon’s commitment to deliver ex-post and empirically quantified carbon removal. This means that the company will not only remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere but also rigorously quantify the amount removed. Lithos Carbon plans to develop and publish its measurement techniques further, validating both the quantity and speed of carbon capture.

The natural process of rock weathering already removes an estimated 1.1 billion tons of CO₂ annually. Lithos Carbon’s approach enhances this natural phenomenon by strategically deploying basalt, the most abundant volcanic rock on Earth, on agricultural lands. This accelerates the CO₂ removal process, reducing timeframes from geological eras to human seasons.

When rainwater interacts with the

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, it traps CO₂ as bicarbonate, the same material found in seashells. This process locks away atmospheric carbon for tens of thousands of years. Lithos Carbon sources its volcanic dust from upcycled materials, repurposing them into valuable agricultural products without generating new emissions.

Compared to other

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carbon removal technologies, ERW offers unique advantages. While direct air capture requires significant energy input and afforestation faces land-use challenges, ERW integrates with existing agricultural practices. John Smith, a farmer in Iowa participating in Lithos Carbon’s program, notes, “ERW has not only helped remove carbon but has also improved our soil quality and crop yields. It’s a win-win for us and the environment.”

The permanence, potential for widespread agricultural adoption, and cost-efficiency of ERW at scale make it a promising pathway for meeting urgent climate goals within the next decade. To further validate and improve the technology, Lithos Carbon has assembled a team of leading academics in ERW, biogeochemistry, and agriculture to work on its research site.

Researchers from the

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are conducting cross-validation studies on a large-scale trial spanning 3,000 acres of commercial farmland. This multi-method project directly compares various approaches for in-field CO₂ removal measurement. The resulting data will be made public and available to the academic community, promoting transparency and rigorous standards in the field.

Mary Yap, CEO of Lithos Carbon, emphasized the company’s mission to transform cropland into carbon capture centers, aiming to remove a billion tons of CO₂ over a decade. The agreement with

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represents a significant step towards this objective, focusing on enhancing quantification and measurement across large-scale commercial deployments.

For

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carbon removal, this purchase aligns with its commitment to become carbon negative by 2030. Brian Marrs, representing

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, highlighted the company’s focus on supporting innovative solutions and high-quality carbon dioxide removal projects.

The new agreement stipulates that Lithos Carbon will empirically quantify over 11,400 metric tons of permanent carbon removal for

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. As of August 2024, Lithos Carbon has already distributed hundreds of thousands of tons of fine basalt rock dust across North America, collaborating with more than 100 farmers in nine states. The company has collected over 10,000 soil cores to validate accurate carbon removal in various regions.

The global potential for ERW is significant. Regions with suitable rock types, adequate rainfall, and extensive agricultural land are prime candidates for implementation. Countries like Brazil, India, and Indonesia, with their vast agricultural sectors and favorable climates, could become major hubs for ERW-based carbon removal. However, successful global deployment will require careful consideration of local geological conditions, farming practices, and regulatory environments.

Lithos Carbon’s innovative approach has garnered recognition beyond its partnership with

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carbon removal. The company was recently named a finalist in the XPRIZE Carbon Removal Challenge and a semifinalist in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Carbon Dioxide Removal Purchase Pilot Prize.

As the carbon removal industry continues to evolve, partnerships like the one between Lithos Carbon and

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carbon removal are driving progress in developing scalable, verifiable solutions to address climate change. By combining rigorous scientific research with practical, large-scale implementation, these efforts are paving the way for more effective and transparent carbon removal strategies in the years to come.

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