The SeaCURE pilot project, involving the University of Exeter and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, has launched in Weymouth, South England. Funded by the British government, the project aims to extract CO2 from seawater, which contains approximately 150 times more CO2 than the atmosphere, potentially making it more efficient than direct air capture (DAC).
Tom Bell from Plymouth Marine Laboratory explains that the process involves extracting seawater and reducing its pH to release CO2 as a gas. The remaining water is then neutralized before being returned to the sea. The extracted CO2 is concentrated to a purity of 99 percent. The pilot plant can filter up to 100 tons of CO2 from seawater annually.
Researchers are also studying the effects of carbon-depleted seawater on marine life and exploring methods to mitigate potential harm, such as mixing treated water with untreated water to dilute it. The project's energy currently comes from renewable sources, with possibilities for offshore deployment using floating solar panels.