Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) and Caltech, alongside the startup company Calcarea, have introduced a new technology aimed at reducing carbon emissions from cargo ships and other diesel-powered vessels.
Inspired by the ocean's natural carbon capture abilities, this technology promises to address the carbon output of the global shipping industry, which accounts for about 3% of worldwide CO2 emissions.
Pawel Grzegorz from Pixabay
Ocean-Inspired Tech Aimed at Reducing Carbon Emissions from Ships
The ocean has long played a crucial role in capturing and storing carbon dioxide. This natural process, which takes hundreds of thousands of years, involves limestone - a type of calcium carbonate commonly found on the ocean floor, according to the research team.
Limestone neutralizes the excess CO2 absorbed by the ocean, turning it into bicarbonate, which is a natural byproduct of seawater.
William Berelson, the Paxson H. Offield Professor in Coastal and Marine Systems at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, leads the research project. He explained that the new technology replicates this natural process but at a much faster pace.
Whereas nature takes years, the reactors developed by the team accomplish the same task in minutes. Berelson shared these insights at AltaSea, a public-private ocean institute at the Port of Los Angeles, the busiest port in the United States.
The technology is housed within two reactors named Ripple 1 and Ripple 2. It processes CO2 directly from ship engine exhausts and transforms it into a solution slightly enriched with bicarbonate, which is then ejected back into the ocean. This method mirrors the natural state of ocean water, resulting in minimal impact on marine life and the water's chemistry, according to the team.
The initial phase of developing the reactors was conducted at USC's University Park Campus, where the team evaluated carbon capture capabilities in controlled ocean water conditions.
The outcomes from these tests facilitated the development of the Ripple 2 reactor, which is now being tested at AltaSea. Throughout this process, scientists have consistently monitored the impact of the technology on ocean life to guarantee its safety and effectiveness.
Berelson underscored the adaptability of this technology, pointing to its potential for commercial application. The goal is to incorporate these reactors into existing shipping operations, thereby substantially lowering the industry's carbon emissions.
Calcarea also recently revealed a collaboration with Lomar Shipping's corporate venture lab, lomarlabs, to commercialize and implement their onboard carbon capture system.
"Our technology offers lower energy demands, lower costs, and has lower infrastructure requirements than comparable alternatives to cut emissions from shipping," Jess Adkins, founder and CEO of Calcarea, said in a press release statement.
"But we need traction from ship owners and operators themselves to get our system out into the industry and in use. This collaboration will accelerate the testing and maritime engineering needed to get our system in use and, ultimately, reducing emissions."
