In the race against climate change, scientists are diving deep into the ocean’s potential to absorb more carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. A new study, published in the journal Frontiers in Climate, sheds light on the challenges and opportunities of using the ocean’s vast carbon storage capacity for atmospheric CO2 removal. The study, led by Paul R. Halloran of the Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy at the University of Exeter, UK, explores the intricacies of monitoring, reporting, and verifying (MRV) carbon removal through engineered marine methods.
The ocean is a massive carbon sink, absorbing about a quarter of the CO2 humans emit. However, verifying the carbon removal associated with techniques like Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) and Direct Ocean Carbon Capture and Storage (DOCS) is a complex task. These methods aim to enhance the ocean’s natural ability to absorb CO2, but tracking the actual removal is challenging. Halloran explains, “The main challenge is that the carbon removal these techniques stimulate often happens downstream of their activity, making it difficult to attribute the removal directly to the intervention.”
The study, which involved a workshop with industry and government stakeholders, identified a common set of principles for abiotic marine MRV. However, implementing these principles with current technology could be prohibitively expensive. Halloran notes, “We need to drive down the costs of marine MRV to make these technologies commercially viable. This requires investment and innovation in monitoring technologies and methods.”
The energy sector is keenly interested in carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies as a means to offset emissions that are challenging or expensive to reduce. The development of high-quality MRV frameworks is crucial for pricing carbon removal accurately and ensuring the credibility of these offsets. Halloran emphasizes, “High-quality MRV is important to correctly price any CO2 removal, but we also need accessibility and transparency in MRV approaches to realize the broader benefits to society.”
The study highlights the need for clear regulatory guidelines to stimulate investment in marine CDR technologies. As the energy sector seeks to decarbonize, the ocean’s potential to absorb more CO2 could play a significant role. However, the commercial viability of these technologies hinges on overcoming the MRV challenges. Halloran’s research, published in ‘Frontiers in Climate’, offers a roadmap for future developments in the field, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between industry, government, and academia to drive down costs and enhance the transparency of marine CDR technologies.
