932: Mike Kelland | A Planetary Approach to Fixing the Climate Crisis

OAE Potential

Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) is a promising method for carbon removal, leveraging the ocean's vast capacity to store carbon. Mike Kelland explains that OAE involves adding substances like antacids to seawater, which enhances its ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere 1. This process not only helps in carbon capture but also combats ocean acidification, a significant threat to marine life 2.

The ocean stores most of the carbon on the earth's surface, making it a massive scale potential for carbon removal.

--- Mike Kelland

By conducting field trials, Kelland's team aims to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of this approach on a larger scale 3.

   

Scaling Issues

Scaling carbon removal technologies to a gigaton level presents significant challenges. Mike Kelland highlights the need for these technologies to become as large as the oil industry to meet climate goals 4. The cost of carbon removal is currently high, but Kelland believes that with advancements, it could drop to under $50 per ton, making it more feasible 5.

We are talking about making carbon removal bigger than the oil industry over the course of the next 27 years.

--- Mike Kelland

The ocean's natural capacity to absorb carbon offers a unique advantage, reducing the need for extensive machinery 6.

   

Ocean Sponge

The ocean acts as a natural carbon sponge, absorbing significant amounts of CO2. Jordan Harbinger compares this process to heat transfer, where the ocean balances atmospheric carbon levels 7. However, concerns about the environmental impact of adding substances to the ocean are addressed through rigorous safety protocols and monitoring 8.

The ocean is super hard to measure. It's really big, it sloshes around a lot, and stuff dilutes out really quickly.

--- Mike Kelland

These measures ensure that the process remains safe and effective at various scales, protecting marine ecosystems while enhancing carbon capture capabilities.