U.S. startup Captura extracts carbon dioxide from seawater through floating plants. (Photo: Captura)
The development of carbon capture technology has been slow, partly due to high costs. However, the American startup Captura is developing ocean carbon capture technology that promises to halve these costs.
The company has already attracted investments from notable enterprises such as Japan Airlines and Saudi Aramco, and plans to fully launch its operations by 2026.
Innovative floating carbon capture factories
Captura's design involves setting up floating factories at sea. These factories use electrodialysis to convert part of the seawater into acid, which is then mixed with seawater to carbonate it. The carbonated water is then passed through a filtration membrane to separate out the carbon dioxide.
Unlike the more commonly discussed direct air capture, Captura's new technology falls under the category of Direct Ocean Capture (DOC). Institutions like MIT and the Singapore government are also working on related projects, recognizing the ocean as the world's largest carbon sink capable of absorbing atmospheric CO2.
After launching its first small pilot project in 2022 and achieving key milestones at the Port of Los Angeles, Captura announced its readiness for commercial operations in the fourth quarter of last year. By April this year, Captura had raised $45.3 million in Series A funding, with investors including Japan Airlines, Saudi Aramco, and Equinor.
Captura's DOC technology has attracted investments from companies like Japan Airlines and Saudi Aramco. (Photo: Captura)
Captura aims to cut costs to $100 per ton
Next year, the company plans to start a new large-scale pilot project in Hawaii, expected to capture 1,000 tons of CO2 annually. The captured CO2 will be sold to beverage manufacturers and aquaculture operators, paving the way for the development of the ocean blue carbon market.
Captura’s CEO, Steve Oldham, pointed out at the Smart Energy Week in Japan this year that ocean carbon capture is a lower-cost solution. Current estimates suggest that Captura’s carbon capture costs could eventually drop to hundreds of dollars per ton, with a target of reducing the cost to $100 per ton to ensure profitability.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that achieving global net zero by 2050 will require the removal of 980 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere. Since atmospheric CO2 concentration is lower than that in the ocean, direct air capture requires more infrastructure, increasing costs.
Source: Nikkei Asia, Forbes, Captura
