Brilliant Planet, based in Arizona, USA, is operating algae farms in the desert to suck carbon from the air at low cost.
Brilliant Planet’s seaweed carbon capture research facility in Morocco. Image: Brilliant Planet
Natural carbon storage company Brilliant Planet announced on April 6 that it has received $ 12 million in a Series A funding round from investors Union Square Ventures and joint venture Toyota for a project to capture carbon using seaweed. .
Brilliant Planet is using the power of “algal blooms” – algae that grow rapidly in numbers over a short period of time – as an effective method for permanent and quantifiable carbon sequestration. The company’s process allows large numbers of microalgae to grow in outdoor pond systems in coastal deserts. This is achieved without the use of fresh water, by harnessing a natural process that improves the health of the oceans and the air.
“Nature-based solutions to climate change are often the most scalable and cost-effective, but it is often difficult to verify the amount of carbon removed and the permeability of the storage. On the other hand, man-made solutions such as direct air capture can be easily quantified but are very expensive due to significant energy, chemical and freshwater requirements. a nature-based system that is scalable, verifiable and cost-effective,” emphasized Adam Taylor, CEO of Brilliant Planet.
“By using bare desert land and seawater, our solution creates new net primary productivity. In other words, we use underutilized natural resources to grow biomass. and absorb excess carbon dioxide.Per unit area, this method absorbs 30 times more carbon than rainforests per year, while deacidifying coastal seawater back to pre-industrial levels. “, adds Raffael Jovine, chief scientist and co-founder of Brilliant Planet.
After four years of testing at its 3-hectare research facility in Morocco, Brilliant Planet will use Series A proceeds to build a 30-hectare commercial demonstration facility while continuing its research and development program. fundamental development in London. The company is being supported by partners including the UK Research & Innovation Foundation, the Scottish Marine Science Association and the University of Southampton in a range of initiatives such as remote sensing, oceanography, development sensing and fluid dynamics.
Lisa Coca, Climate Fund partner at Toyota Ventures, commends Brilliant Planet’s project for its depth of research. “They have the ability to transform their new discovery into real-world efficiency improvements thanks to a series of patents. Their deep understanding of algae has enabled Brilliant Planet to transform nature and we want to support the company. in efforts to combat climate change,” Lisa shared.
Doan Duong (According to PR Newswire/TechCrunch)
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