In the vast, blue expanse of our oceans, a new battle is brewing. It’s not against pirates or storms, but against an invisible foe: ocean acidification. The culprit? Our own carbon emissions. But now, a new breed of companies is stepping up, armed with multimillion-dollar deals and a controversial method called electrochemical ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE). The goal? To turn the tide on acidification, quite literally.
Ebb Carbon, a US company, just inked the world’s largest marine carbon removal deal with Microsoft. They’re planning to dump massive amounts of alkaline materials into our seas, mimicking nature’s own process of ocean alkalisation. It’s a bold move, but it’s not alone. Canada’s Planetary Technologies and Equatic are also diving into the fray, with backing from heavyweights like Boeing. The sector’s growth is astronomical, but so are the questions and concerns.
Dr. James Kerry, a coral reef expert, isn’t buying it just yet. “The jury’s still out on the damage that OAE could do,” he warns. Too much alkalinity could lead to precipitation, creating mineral pollutants that might block sunlight or be mistaken for food by marine creatures. It’s a high-stakes gamble, and the ocean’s delicate balance is on the line.
Ocean acidification is no joke. Since preindustrial times, global seawater pH has dropped by 40%, with nearly half of that happening since the 1980s. In 2012, a mass acidification event off the west coast of the Americas wiped out kelp forests along 350km of coastline. It’s a grim reminder of what’s at stake.
But here’s the kicker: the science behind these geoengineering solutions is still in its infancy. Yet, hundreds of millions of dollars are pouring into these projects. Big companies are buying carbon removal credits to offset their emissions, meet sustainability targets, or comply with regulations. Total carbon removal purchases skyrocketed from £41m in 2022 to over £1.9bn in 2024, with some experts predicting a £37bn industry by 2030.
Ebb Carbon’s CEO, Ben Tarbell, is aware of the scale issue. “It’s fundamental to any climate solution,” he says. Ebb is carefully measuring and tracking alkalinity, with automatic shut-offs if thresholds are approached. They’re also working with scientists and local tribes to study the effects on marine life. But can they scale up safely and responsibly?
The industry is moving fast, but legislation is lagging. While an international legal consensus is reached, companies are forging ahead with field trials. Planetary Technologies faced backlash in Cornwall, UK, for its experiments in St Ives Bay. Local residents, surfers, and wildlife organisations protested, worried about potential damage to the ecosystem.
Many scientists aren’t opposed to exploring geoengineering, but they want to see more nature-based solutions first. Dr. Christopher Gobler of Stony Brook University puts it bluntly: “The ultimate cause of global ocean acidification is rising CO2 to the atmosphere from rising emissions.” But as the pressure to do more than just reduce emissions grows, so does the appeal of these manmade solutions.
Brad Ack, CEO of Ocean Visions, a marine carbon removal nonprofit, sees it as a two-pronged approach: “One is to stop putting the CO2 in, and the other is to take it out.” But accurately assessing carbon removal is a challenge. Factors like water depth, temperature, tides, and seafloor variability all play a role.
Dr. David Ho of [C]Worthy believes carbon removal efforts should be driven at the government level. “It makes sense that these companies have to sell credits to survive,” he says. “At the same time, they have no way to prove that what they’re doing is effective – that’s a big problem.”
So, what’s next? The eyes of the maritime industry are on Ebb and its Microsoft deal. They’re scaling up, aiming to remove 1,000 tons of carbon a year. But can they do it safely? And will it be enough to turn the tide on ocean acidification? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: the debate is far from over. The future of our oceans hangs in the balance, and the stakes have never been higher.