By Carbon to Sea Initiative
Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) pathways are emerging as a suite of promising approaches for durable and scalable ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (oCDR). In the past decade, research has progressed dramatically through modeling, lab, and mesocosm studies, helping us understand key concepts of scalability, environmental impacts, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. However, real-world evidence is nascent and scattered and remains the major roadblock in our efforts to evaluate the viability of OAE.
Ocean-based carbon removal methodologies are highly location-specific, shaped by the unique characteristics of the receiving waters, the materials used, and method of dispersal. As a result, there is a need for considerably higher quantity and quality of field data to build the empirical understanding of OAE’s efficacy and safety in different scenarios.
Already, pockets of OAE field research are appearing organically around the world. Research institutes such as the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Dalhousie University, GEOMAR, and CSIRO are planning and conducting small-scale field trials to bring OAE research from the lab to real-world environments. Private companies such as Ebb Carbon, Planetary Technologies, Planeteers, Vesta, CarbonRun, Limenet, Crew Carbon, and others are pioneering field deployments to test and refine OAE techniques. Adjacent sectors, including wastewater treatment, shipping, and mining, are beginning to take notice and explore their potential roles in scaling OAE efforts.
Amidst this momentum, Carbon to Sea is actively engaged in advancing OAE field research. We are helping to bridge gaps, coordinate efforts, and provide critical resources to ensure the responsible development of this field. Since making field research a major organizational priority in 2022, Carbon to Sea has contributed to multiple initiatives, including:
- Direct grants to research institutes to support field research and environmental assessments including WHOI’s LOC-NESS project, and Dalhousie University’s field research in the Bedford Basin.
- Establishment of field research sites to provide testbeds for OAE methodologies and invite additional researchers and companies to participate through Joint Learning Opportunities.
- Advance applied R&D to enhance monitoring and data collection, including ROMS models, alkalinity dispersal mechanisms, sensors, and other observational technologies.
- Project development support including permitting, education, and best practices guides and standards for data management, environmental monitoring, and community engagement.
Through these efforts, Carbon to Sea is helping to align stakeholders, foster collaboration, and accelerate responsible OAE research and deployment. The field is moving fast, and Carbon to Sea is committed to ensuring that momentum translates into meaningful, science-driven progress.
Our hypothesis for increased impact going forward
To build upon these promising first steps, we are exploring a strategic expansion of sites within the Global OAE Field Research Network, and investing in greater coordination among emerging sites around the world.
This Global OAE Field Research Network aims to accelerate the pace of discovery by uniting researchers and organizations into a dynamic, interconnected ecosystem of knowledge exchange and collaboration. In these early planning months, we invite the ocean research community to help us shape a high-value offering.
Potential benefits of a Global OAE Field Research Network:
- Rapid exchange of learnings & practical experience from the field
- Alignment on critical scientific questions to study
- Greater visibility and exposure across international scientific network
- Impact and influence on emerging global standards, responsible governance, operating procedures, and sector best-practices
- Access to research funding, technology, and talented experts
What’s next? Participate in our discovery process
As a first step, Carbon to Sea will launch a Global Request for Information (RFI) in April 2025 that invites researchers and potential research sites to express interest in this network. In the RFI, Carbon to Sea will aim to get a clearer picture of the research currently being conducted and planned, as well as potential locations, infrastructure, and institutions that can contribute to this research.
The RFI will aim to gather feedback from two types of respondents: researchers and potential field sites.
A researcher may include university academics or engineers, public institution researchers, scientists from adjacent fields (geochemists, aquaculture practitioners, etc.), MRV sensor developers, or OAE developers looking for a pilot location. Carbon to Sea will want to know more about what these groups would like to study and what field site infrastructure would best support their research.
A potential field site may be an ocean research institution already conducting research with an interest to plug into a global network, owners of coastal marine infrastructure facilities, municipal wastewater agencies, pilot oCDR sites curious about expanding into OAE, focused research organizations or commercial field sites interested in hosting independent research. Carbon to Sea will want to know about these groups’ ambition for hosting OAE field research, and their traction towards this goal.
With this information, Carbon to Sea will be better able to shape its strategy for the Global OAE Field Research Network, understand the participants’ needs, and chart its next steps.
Following the RFI, in September 2025, Carbon to Sea aims to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to disperse catalytic funding. In this RFP, sites and researchers will apply directly for funding to set up new field research sites around the world.
Interested RFI participants can follow the latest from Carbon to Sea and sign up for our newsletter. We look forward to sharing more information in April 2025 and to seeing the many opportunities for expansion of the field.
