Welcome to Our New Member SeaO₂!
SeaO₂ employs Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) through Direct Ocean Capture (DOC), using renewable electricity to extract CO₂ from seawater in a scalable and cost-effective manner. The ocean naturally absorbs a third of the world’s greenhouse gas CO₂ emissions, making its immense capacity a key component in carbon removal. With CO₂ concentrations in seawater 150 times higher per litre than in air, the ocean provides a unique and efficient opportunity for carbon extraction.
Our new member’s process uses electrochemistry to produce acid and base streams from a small portion of seawater, approximately <1% of the water being processed. This shifts the carbonate equilibrium in the larger water stream, converting dissolved inorganic carbon into gaseous CO₂ which is then extracted using a vacuum technology. With its pH alkalinity restored, the decarbonised water is returned to the ocean where it reabsorbs CO₂ from the atmosphere and the captured CO₂ from this process is then used in products such as concrete.
SeaO₂ successfully demonstrated its Direct Ocean Capture (DOC) technology with a prototype developed in the Netherlands, validating their innovative method of extracting CO₂ from seawater using renewable electricity and advanced electrochemistry. The captured CO₂ from this demonstration was converted into concrete through a collaboration with one of our other members Paebbl using their ex-situ mineralisation process. This process chemically binds the extracted CO₂ into concrete, achieving permanent sequestration while contributing to the production of sustainable building materials.
Building on the success of this prototype, SeaO₂ are now developing a pilot plant with a capacity to capture 250 tons of CO₂ per year, set to be operational by the end of 2025. Looking ahead, SeaO₂ aims to supply captured CO₂ to industries such as fuels and chemicals, further broadening the impact of their technology on hard-to-abate sectors.
Find out more about SeaO₂ here.
