Solid Carbon project explores the safety and feasibility of funnelling carbon dioxide under the ocean, where it will turn into rock.

Large amounts of carbon dioxide continue to be released into the atmosphere each year. To keep global temperatures within a safe range, countries will have to remove from the air carbon dioxide that has already been released. 

The Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions has provided substantial financial support to the Solid Carbon project, which explores the feasibility of storing carbon from the atmosphere under the ocean floor. The project’s goal is to figure out how to extract carbon directly from the air and then inject the gas below the seafloor using deep ocean technology powered by ocean-based wind energy. Deep under the ocean, scientists are confident the carbon will mineralize into solid carbonate rock. 

Researchers: Kate Moran, Curran Crawford, David Goldberg, Terre Satterfield, Devin Todd

Collaborating Organizations: University of Victoria, Ocean Networks Canada, University of British Columbia, Columbia University, University of Calgary, University of Washington