Episódios
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Episode 39 is with Mark Cyffka, Co-Founder and COO of AirMyne.
Today Na’im speaks with Mark Cyffka about common barriers to scaling the different approaches of direct air capture technologies, how AirMyne is looking to bypass those barriers with its technology, what the cost trajectory of DAC will be between now and 2050, and how to think about the modularity versus large-system approaches of developing DAC technologies.
In this episode, Na’im and Mark discuss:
* AirMyne’s progress since the company was launched;
* Common barriers to scaling direct air capture today;
* AirMyne’s technology;
* Cost trajectory for DAC by 2050;
* AirMyne’s partnership with CO2 offtakes and its’ role in in the two Regional DAC Hub projects in parallel to its partners;
* Policy initiatives to address gaps in the scaling of DAC; and
* The importance of social acceptance for DAC to scale.
Relevant Links:
* AirMyne’s website
* “Hello world, we’re AirMyne.”
* TechCrunch - “AirMyne taps geothermal energy to scale direct air carbon capture”
* ETH Zurich - Cost of direct air carbon capture to remain higher than hoped
* Berkeley Lab - Exploring Community-Centered Direct Air Capture
* U.S. Department of Energy - Project Selections for FOA 2735: Regional Direct Air Capture Hubs – Topic Area 1 (Feasibility) and Topic Area 2 (Design)
About Mark:
Mark Cyffka is the co-founder at AirMyne where he leads day to day operations. Before AirMyne, Mark spent more than a decade in operations roles in the deeptech ecosystem, including sales, engineering, and product management roles. At BASF, Mark helped invent & commercialize products used to manufacture EVs and solar power systems. After the success of that product led to a spin-out, Mark advised the Finnish government on deeptech innovation with a focus on climate. Mark studied chemistry at Harvey Mudd College.
About AirMyne:
AirMyne is a company working to scale high-quality carbon removal through direct air capture (DAC). The company is based in Berkeley, California and employs 19 people. AirMyne has built, demonstrated, and patented a low-temperature, solvent-based DAC approach designed for low cost, safety, and scalability.
This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
Tank Chen is a carbon removal advocate based in Taiwan whose focus is on communicating the importance of carbon removal to policy makers, corporate leaders, and the broader public through education, communications, and policy advocacy.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 38 is with Dai Ellis (Co-founder and CEO) and Vilas Rao (Co-founder) of Cascade Climate.
Today Na’im speaks with Dai Ellis and Vilas Rao about how Cascade Climate is working to address key challenges in open-system carbon dioxide removal (CDR), particularly around quantification of enhanced rock weathering (ERW), why a community-built quantification standard is key to increase consistency in MRV practices across the ERW market, and how to encourage industry adoption and data sharing to advance understanding of ERW.
In this episode, Na’im, Dai, and Vilas discuss:
* The co-founders’ vision for launching and building Cascade;
* The problem Cascade was founded to solve;
* The reason for focusing on ERW and the key challenges associated;
* The current state of net removal quantification and the reason for creating a community-built standard;
* Incentives to encourage adoption and implementation of the community-built standard;
* The importance of having data-access and encouraging data-sharing in driving shared learning and building trust;
* The role policymakers play in ERW;
* Responsible deployment of ERW in the Global South; and
* The good-movie and the bad-movie versions of open-system climate intervention.
Relevant Links:
* Carbon Curve Podcast Ep. 3 - “Dai Ellis on what scaling up HIV medicines can teach us about building a thriving carbon removal market”
* The Great Unwind - Substack by Dai Ellis
* Carbon Travels - Substack by John Sanchez
* Foundations for a Healthy ERW Market Cycle - Blog Post
* Cascade Climate on OpenAir’s This is CDR webinar series
* Cascade Climate website
About Dai:
Dai Ellis is CEO and co-founder at Cascade Climate. Dai is an entrepreneur with deep experience founding and scaling high-performing nonprofit and for-profit ventures across climate, health, and education. He has co-founded five different ventures and paid forward what he’s learned the hard way as an executive coach to climate tech founders and CEOs. Earlier in his career, Dai led the Clinton Health Access Initiative’s pioneering work on market shaping for drugs, vaccines, and other health products in the Global South. More recently, he has been at the forefront of efforts to import learning and tools from global health market shaping into climate tech.
About Vilas:
Vilas Rao is a co-founder at Cascade Climate. Vilas has been growing businesses in the agriculture technology space for the past decade, looking for ways to apply technology to agricultural production systems to drive a more sustainable and secure food supply. Prior to Cascade, Vilas was the Chief Revenue Officer for Arable Labs, which delivers a real-time crop monitoring solution for farming. Earlier in his career, Vilas led the scale up of FieldView, the largest data platform and partner ecosystem in agriculture while at The Climate Corporation. Vilas got his start in agriculture working with smallholder farmers in Nepal, which led to his lifelong fascination with the connections between the food system, economic opportunity, and our planetary footprint.
About Cascade Climate:
Cascade Climate works to accelerate progress in climate interventions that leverage Earth’s natural systems—from soils to oceans to glaciers—to stabilize our climate. As a philanthropically-backed nonprofit, Cascade coordinates and resources ambitious initiatives across science, industry, philanthropy, and policy to overcome the core bottlenecks that are holding back the most promising open-system climate interventions. Its initial focus is advancing the development of a healthy market for enhanced rock weathering (ERW), underpinned by its scientific evidence base and its potential for durable, gigaton-scale carbon dioxide removal.
This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
Tank Chen is a carbon removal advocate based in Taiwan whose focus is on communicating the importance of carbon removal to policy makers, corporate leaders, and the broader public through education, communications, and policy advocacy.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
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Episode 37 is with Lukas May, Head of Policy and Expansion at Isometric
The traditional carbon offset market is riddled with problems. We've seen reporting on this from The Guardian, Bloomberg, and other media outlets. Researchers at CarbonPlan have also done some excellent work exposing just how broken some of these systems really are. As we build a new carbon removal industry, we now have an opportunity to build trust in a high integrity carbon removal market.
One company, Isometric, is working to figure that out, building scientific integrity, transparency, and incentive alignment into their business model. The company just launched its own carbon registry this week, and the question is, can the company avoid the same pitfalls of the legacy actors in the traditional carbon offset market?
In this episode, Na’im and Lukas discuss:
* Isometric’s mission and why trust is the central job of scaling carbon removal;
* Definitions of the terms standards, methodologies, and protocols;
* Ways that Isometric’s products improve on incumbent models that exist today;
* How Isometric addresses problem around misaligned incentive in the market today;
* How Isometric defines quality;
* Isometric’s approach in developing protocols and partnering with the wider community;
* The role of policy in helping build trust and rigor;
* Alternatives to countries’ building their own methodologies
Relevant Links:
* Launch of Isometric Registry
* Isometric receives ICROA Conditional Endorsement
* Isometric Website
* Isometric Registry
* Isometric Protocols
* Carbon Dioxide Removal Purchase Pilot Prize
About Lukas
Lukas May is the Head of Policy and Expansion at Isometric. He has spent over a decade working between government and start-ups. He was most recently a Senior Civil Servant in the UK Government, where he led post-Brexit trade negotiations in the Asia-Pacific region. Before that he led international expansion at fintech start-up Wise, and he started his career at the UK financial services regulator.
About Isometric
Isometric is a new kind of registry on a mission to ensure the transition to carbon removal happens responsibly and fast. As carbon markets mature, buyers are rapidly shifting their attention and purchases from low-quality, temporary carbon offsets to high-quality, durable carbon removals. The Isometric Standard sets the world’s most stringent set of rules for removing carbon, raising the bar for scientific rigor, transparency, and incentive alignment. The Isometric Registry provides a permanent audit trail for all credits issued by Isometric, allowing the information behind every credit to be reviewed and scrutinized. Isometric was founded in 2022 by CEO Eamon Jubbawy, who previously co-founded Onfido. The company is based in London and New York and has raised over $25 million from Lowercarbon Capital, Plural, and more.
This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
Tank Chen is a carbon removal advocate based in Taiwan whose focus is on communicating the importance of CDR to policy makers, corporate leaders, and the broader public through education, communications, and policy advocacy.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 36 is with Nikki Batchelor of XPRIZE and Ben Rubin of Carbon Business Council.
Carbon removal can be a force for good - not just in creating lasting climate benefits - but in delivering social, economic, and ecological benefits as well. Indeed, the future of carbon removal depends on that promise playing out. But it isn’t a foregone conclusion that large scale carbon removal is uncompromisingly and unequivocally good for people and planet. As we build this new industry - an intentional approach to its responsible deployment is absolutely necessary. Today, Na’im speaks with Nikki Batchelor and Ben Rubin about the recently launched Carbon Dioxide Removal Responsible Deployment Training (CDR RDT).
In this episode, Na’im, Nikki, and Ben discuss:
* Achievements the Carbon Business Council has made since launch;
* The XPRIZE Carbon Removal Competition and the final stage of the competition;
* Findings from XPRIZE’s Carbon Removal Innovation Landscape and the 2024 Outlook report;
* The meaning and importance of deploying carbon removal responsibly;
* Carbon Business Council’s Responsible Deployment Training program;
* Embedding environmental justice and community engagement approaches into XPRIZE competition criteria;
* The adaption of key principles of the training program to a broader global context;
* The implication of the framework for stakeholders beyond carbon removal tech developers; and
* Upcoming announcements and initiatives from XPRIZE and Carbon Business Council.
Relevant Links:
* Breaking Ground: Guidance for Carbon Removal Companies and Funders on Responsible Project Deployment
* CDR Innovation Landscape and 2024 Outlook
* From the Ground Up: Recommendations for Building an Environmentally Just Carbon Removal Industry
* CDR RDT, A Training Course & Suite of Foundational Resources for the Responsible Deployment of Carbon Removal
* CDR RDT: Carbon Dioxide Removal Responsible Deployment Trainings
* Responsible & Regional Deployment of Carbon Removal: A Pacific Northwest Symposium
* Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR): Issue Brief
* Sources of opposition to renewable energy projects in the United States
About Nikki:
Nikki Batchelor is the Executive Director for the $100M XPRIZE Carbon Removal, a competition supported by the Musk Foundation to drive innovation, market adoption, and responsible deployment of carbon removal solutions. In this capacity she oversees program operations, develops partnerships, and leads strategic initiatives on topics such as environmental justice and investor engagement, including the Circular Carbon Network that provides market insights for the growing carbon tech and carbon removal sectors. Nikki also supports XPRIZE’s work across the Energy & Climate Domain and previously managed operations and impact programs for the $20M NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE from 2015-2021. She also serves on the Carbon Business Council Board of Directors and Puro.Earth Advisory Board.
About XPRIZE:
XPRIZE is an established global leader in designing, launching, and executing large scale competitions to solve humanity’s greatest challenges. The XPRIZE unique model democratizes innovation by incentivizing crowd-sourced, scientifically viable solutions to create a more equitable and abundant future for all.
About Ben:
Ben Rubin is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Carbon Business Council. Ben serves on the Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee at the U.S. Department of Commerce, a federal appointment position. He is a Research Fellow with the Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal.
Ben has been advancing climate action throughout his career, leading initiatives for companies, accelerators, governments and nonprofits. His work has galvanized billions of dollars in climate infrastructure funding, passed legislation, and reached hundreds of millions of people through media campaigns.
About Carbon Business Council:
Carbon Business Council (CO2BC), a member-driven and tech-neutral trade association of companies unified to restore the climate, is the preeminent industry voice for carbon management innovators. Together, the nonprofit coalition represents more than 100 companies and organizations across six continents with more than $16.5 billion dollars in combined assets.
This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
Tank Chen is a carbon removal advocate based in Taiwan whose focus is on communicating the importance of CDR to policy makers, corporate leaders, and the broader public through education, communications, and policy advocacy.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 35 is with Anastasia Pavlovic, CEO of Eion and Elliot Chang, Co-founder and CSO of Eion.
Today Na’im speaks with Anastasia Pavlovic, CEO of Eion and Elliot Chang, CSO of Eion. Enhanced rock weathering (ERW) is an area of carbon removal that I’ve been really intrigued by. When I think about ERW, I think about high potential for scale, benefits to farmers, and potentially challenging MRV.
So 35 episodes into this podcast, I’m finally doing an episode on ERW. Today I’ll be speaking with Eion’s co-founder, alongside a newly minted CEO, to educate me about what has evolved in the ERW space over the last few years and what the future has in store for this promising but still nascent carbon removal technology.
About Anastasia Pavlovic
Anastasia Pavlovic is the CEO of Eion, which she joined in December 2023 bringing deep expertise in global operations and software with a passion for driving global change through local impact. Before joining Eion, Pavlovic led operations, commercialization, and growth for the Agoro Carbon Alliance, which works with farmers to sequester carbon in soil. Prior to the Alliance, Pavlovic commercialized software solutions in the US and Canada for Yara's Digital Farming organization. She has worked for venture-backed software companies scaling agtech and security products around the world. From West Virginia, Pavlovic holds dual B.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Systems Engineering.
About Elliot Chang
Elliot Chang is Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer at Eion. With over ten years of research experience in ion interactions with abiotic and biotic surfaces found in both subsurface terrestrial and marine systems, Elliot focuses on the research and development of technology at Eion. Elliot provides a unique perspective on technology and innovation through his work in academia, national laboratories, and industry-based companies. Elliot has completed postdoctoral research positions at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he studied the physio-chemical properties of swelling clays in soils, and at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where he developed new computational modelling approaches for radionuclide and metal transport in soils and nuclear waste repositories. He received his Ph.D. at UC Berkeley in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, studying rare earth element interactions with bacteria in engineered bioreactor and natural soil systems. He received his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering at Princeton University with a certificate in Sustainable Energy. Elliot is a member of the American Geophysical Union, American Chemical Society, and Sigma Xi Honor Society.
About Eion
Eion is a carbon removal company responsibly scaling enhanced rock weathering (ERW) on agricultural lands. It holds an industry-first patent for directly measuring the carbon removed by mineral weathering in soils using immobile trace elements. Combining scientific rigor with agricultural know-how, Eion fits into routine farming practices to unlock scale without compromising safety and rigor. That includes using olivine, a naturally abundant mineral that balances soil pH while efficiently absorbing carbon dioxide, and relying on routine soil samples and standard equipment to measure carbon removal and monitor soil conditions. By working with the agricultural system, Eion is on track to deliver 10 million tons of permanent carbon removal annually starting in 2030 while creating stable jobs in rural communities.
In this episode, Na’im, Anna, and Elliot discuss:
* Eion’s beginning and journey thus far;
* Anna’s new role as the CEO and her experience getting into CDR from a background in agtech;
* Eion’s approach to enhanced rock weathering
* Eion’s ‘direct measurement approach’ to MRV;
* The different minerals used in ERW and the advantage of using olivine for Eion;
* The scalability and potential of ERW in reaching the scale required;
* The constraints in scaling ERW;
* Eion’s partnership with its feedstock partner, Sibelco;
* The significance of Eion’s recent delivery of carbon removal to Stripe;
* Policy supports needed going forward for ERW;
* Anna’s mandate and the company’s key priorities for 2024;
Relevant Links:
* The basics of enhanced rock weathering
* How Eion Measures Enhanced Rock Weathering (Or How to Find Something That’s No Longer There)
* Eion’s Delivery of Carbon Removal to Stripe, Inc.
* The US Agriculture Improvement Act (Farm Bill)
* Eion’s website
This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
Tank Chen is a carbon removal advocate based in Taiwan whose focus is on communicating the importance of CDR to policy makers, corporate leaders, and the broader public through education, communications, and policy advocacy.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 34 is with Phil De Luna, Chief Carbon Scientist and Head of Engineering at Deep Sky.
In this episode, Na’im speaks to Phil De Luna, Deep Sky’s Chief Carbon Scientists and Head of Engineering. Na’im and Phil cover a broad range of what Deep Sky - a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) project developer that raised C$75M last year - has done to date, how they think about new technology adoption, why Canada is well suited for large scale carbon removal, and the policies that would help advance their work. And we get a few hints of what's in store for the rest of 2024.
In this episode, Na’im and Phil discuss:
* Phil’s journey into CDR and the reasons he joined Deep Sky;
* Deep Sky’s philosophy on removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere;
* Deep Sky’s criteria for choosing partners and how partnerships work;
* The reasons for the company’s focusing on Quebec and Canada;
* The exciting innovations in carbon removal;
* Deep Sky’s partnership with Isometric and their approach to MRV;
* Opportunities and challenges to large scale deployment, and the importance of community engagement;
* Different kinds of policies and actions from the Canadian government that could help develop and scale carbon removal technologies; and
* Deep Sky’s plan for 2024.
Relevant Links:
* “Why Canada Is Poised To Become A Carbon Removal Superpower” (Forbes)
* “The Race Is On: 5 Steps To Rapidly Develop Carbon Removal Technology” (Forbes)
* “Why 2023 Was A Breakout Year In Carbon Removals” (Forbes)
* Canada’s Investment Tax Credit for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (Gov’t of Canada)
* Deep Sky Website
* Isometric Website
* Carbon Removal Canada Website
* Ready to Removal: A Decisive Decade for Canadian Leadership in Carbon Dioxide Removal
About Phil
Phil De Luna is Chief Carbon Scientist and Head of Engineering at Deep Sky, a carbon removals venture building large scale infrastructure to remove CO2 from the atmosphere to reverse climate change. Prior to Deep Sky, Phil led Carbontech at McKinsey & Company’s sustainability practice. He is a Governor General Gold Medal winning scientist, ranked in the top 0.1% in the world in his field, a mentor at Creative Destruction Lab, and chair of Carbon Management Canada. Phil was the youngest-ever Director at the National Research Council where he built and led a $57M R&D program developing disruptive technologies to decarbonize Canada. He was on the founding team of CERT Technologies, a carbontech startup and finalist in the $20M Carbon XPRIZE. He is a Member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada, an adjunct Professor of Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Toronto, a former Member of Parliament candidate, a Globe & Mail Top 50 Changemaker, and a Forbes Top 30 Under 30.
About Deep Sky
Deep Sky is the world's first carbon removal project developer deploying the best carbon capture technology from around the world under one roof. Tech agnostic, Deep Sky brings together the most promising direct air and ocean capture technologies from around the world. Powered by renewable energy, Deep Sky's facilities are strategically located in Quebec, a region with an abundance of hydroelectric power, immense wind power potential and a vast territory with the rich geological makeup required for carbon storage. Deep Sky will bring the largest supply of high quality carbon credits to the market and commercialize carbon removal and storage solutions like never before.
This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
Tank Chen is a carbon removal advocate based in Taiwan whose focus is on communicating the importance of CDR to policy makers, corporate leaders, and the broader public through education, communications, and policy advocacy.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 33 is with Dr. Julio Friedmann, Chief Scientist at Carbon Direct, and with Tim Bushman, Director of Policy and Research at Carbon Removal Canada.
Today Na’im speaks with Dr. Julio Friedmann and Tim Bushman about Canada's potential to scale up carbon dioxide removal (CDR). Late last year, Carbon Removal Canada released a report on Canada's readiness to scale carbon removal and the policies needed to unlock its potential. Today, Na’im speaks to two leading experts on carbon removal's future in Canada: Tim Bushman, who co authored the report and who has surveyed the Canadian landscape to understand the carbon removal potential here; and Julio Friedman, Chief Scientist at Carbon Direct, a world renowned expert on carbon removal and related industries, who was kind enough to review the report and has been a huge inspiration to so many in the carbon removal field.
Tim and Julio will talk about the global CDR landscape, trends and developments to watch, Canada's advantages in scaling CDR, the policies currently in place, like an investment tax credit and a carbon management strategy, and the additional policies we will need to succeed in this new industry.
In this episode, Na’im, Julio, and Tim discuss:
* The current global CDR landscape, major developments and trends in the industry;
* The important use cases and benefits for scaling CDR;
* The scale of CDR needed for individual countries to achieve net-zero emissions, the steps required to get there, and the need to start building capacity now;
* The potential leading role that Canada can play in scaling the global CDR industry;
* Reasons governments should support the carbon removal industry and the ancillary benefits for doing so;
* The most important near-term policy actions to support the sector, including a government procurement program, innovation investments, and standard-setting; and
* Challenges and opportunities going forward.
Relevant Links:
* Ready to Removal: A Decisive Decade for Canadian Leadership in Carbon Dioxide Removal (Carbon Removal Canada, 2023)
* Criteria for High-Quality Carbon Dioxide Removal (2023)
* Capturing the opportunity: A Carbon Management Strategy for Canada (2023)
* British Columbia’s Low Carbon Fuels Act
* Carbon Direct’s website
* Carbon Removal Canada’s website
About Dr. Julio Friedmann
Dr. Friedmann recently served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy at the Department of Energy where he was responsible for DOE’s R&D program in advanced fossil energy systems, carbon capture, and storage (CCS), CO2 utilization, and CO2 removal. More recently, he was a Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia. He has held positions at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, including Chief Energy Technologist. Dr. Friedmann is one of the most widely known and authoritative experts in the U.S. on carbon removal (CO2 drawdown from the air and oceans), CO2 conversion and use (carbon-to-value), hydrogen, industrial decarbonization, and carbon capture and sequestration.
About Carbon Direct
Carbon Direct helps organisations turn industry-leading carbon science into action through its end-to-end platform and advisory services. Their team consists of over 40 leading scientific advisors who have collectively published over 1,000 peer-reviewed papers on carbon measurement, management, and removal and engaged in meaningful climate action from restoration and conservation through to carbon project design and innovative tool development for project monitoring. This scientific foundation is enhanced by a broader team of over 20 carbon market advisors drawing upon finance, consulting, and software expertise. Carbon Direct’s scientific and market base spans decarbonisation frameworks and strategies, emissions tracking, engineered, hybrid, and nature-based solutions, and cross-cutting issues such as governance and equity in carbon markets.
About Tim Bushman
Tim Bushman is the Director of Policy and Research at Carbon Removal Canada where he helps to inform policies and regulations to support the rapid and responsible scale-up of carbon removal in Canada. We’re very lucky to have him on the team. Tim has a background in climate science and has worked extensively across the field of carbon management. His research has focused on mitigation strategies for the difficult-to-abate sectors and carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere. Prior to joining our team, he was a Senior Science Analyst at Carbon Direct and a Senior Analyst at Energy Futures Initiative.
This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
Tank Chen is a carbon removal advocate based in Taiwan whose focus is on communicating the importance of CDR to policy makers, corporate leaders, and the broader public through education, communications, and policy advocacy.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 32 is with Na’im Merchant and Rahima Dosani.
Building off of the special episode they did a year ago, Na’im and Rahima are back to reflect on all things carbon removal in 2023 and what’s in store for 2024. They also get into launching Carbon Removal Canada, the role Canada can play in scaling carbon removal (CDR), managing changing professional demands, and other personal questions that Na’im was clearly not prepared for!
We hope you enjoy the episode and wish everyone a happy 2024!
About Rahima Dosani
Rahima Dosani is the Director of Strategy, Learning, and Innovation at Global Health Visions, a woman-owned and operated company helping to improve access to global health products and services in low-income countries. She previously worked for the Center for Innovation and Impact at USAID and the Clinton Health Access Initiative in Myanmar and Malawi after doing strategy consulting in New York City. Rahima holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA from the Harvard Business School, and a masters in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health. She spends her spare time teaching yoga and being a private chef, and recently graciously agreed to relocate to Toronto, Canada with Na’im.
Special note: A huge thanks to Tank Chen for his support with The Carbon Curve podcast over the last few months and I’m excited about the next set of episodes we’re working on together. If you’re interested in collaborating with a brilliant and dedicated individual on your carbon removal company or project, do reach out to him on LinkedIn!
This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely Na’im Merchant’s and do not reflect those of any other individual or entity.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 31 is with Paul Needham, CEO of Arca.
Today Na’im speaks with Paul Needham about the potential for accelerated carbon mineralization using mine waste as a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) method to decarbonize mining. Mining will play a huge role in the energy transition given the huge need of critical metals - and CDR can help ensure it’s done in a net-zero fashion.
Arca is working to stop - and reverse - climate change by capturing carbon dioxide from the air and transforming it into rock, where it is safely stored forever. Co-founded by Professor Greg Dipple and other geoscientists from the University of British Columbia, Arca has developed technologies that accelerate a natural geochemical process called carbon mineralization. Arca works with producers of critical metals, such as nickel, repurposing mine waste to deploy industrial-scale carbon dioxide removal solutions.
Arca just announced a partnership with BHP, one of the world’s largest producers of nickel for the EV industry, to launch the world’s first accelerated carbon mineralization project at an active nickel mine in Western Australia.
The company’s technology has been recognized with a $1 million XPRIZE Milestone Award for Carbon Dioxide Removal.
About Paul Needham
Paul is a multi-time company founder and CEO, with three exits. Paul serves as board member to a venture fund that invests in African clean energy entrepreneurs, and is Senior Advisor to the D-REC Organization which is accelerating investment in clean energy in developing countries. Paul co-founded, built, and sold India’s largest rooftop solar leasing company, providing access to clean energy to at least 250,000 people in rural India. Paul has a Masters Degree in Development Economics from the University of Cambridge and is now CEO of Arca, the carbon mineralization company.
In this episode, Na’im and Paul discuss:
* Paul’s journey into carbon removal and Arca’s founding history, from its academic roots to becoming a CDR company;
* The clean energy paradox;
* The science behind Arca’s approach;
* Arca’s solution to help the mining industry decarbonize;
* The process of partnering with mining companies;
* Arca’s role in mining industry’s objective to decarbonize;
* Arca’s partnership with BHP;
* Arca’s technologies in development around measurement and verification and their methodology;
* Ways in which government around the world could support CDR; and
* The company’s current and future priorities.
Relevant Links:
* Arca’s partnership with BHP to launch a new pilot project at BHP’s Mt Keith Nickel West mine in Australia
* Arca’s People Page
* Arca’s LinkedIn page
* Arca’s Dr. Greg Dipple and Paul Needham on This Is CDR [Webinar]
* Arca winning the XPRIZE Milestone Award for Carbon Dioxide Removal
* BC Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE)
This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
Tank Chen is a carbon removal advocate based in Taiwan whose focus is on communicating the importance of CDR to policy makers, corporate leaders, and the broader public through education, communications, and policy advocacy.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 30 is with Bilha Ndirangu, CEO of Great Carbon Valley.
Today Na’im speaks with Bilha Ndirangu. Bilha is the CEO of Great Carbon Valley. She is also the co-founder of Jacob’s Ladder Africa, a non-profit focused on green workforce preparation. In this and other roles, she is at the intersection of climate action, technology, and education, positioning Africa as an investment destination for the green economy, identifying and scaling relevant technologies, and preparing its youth to provide the requisite skills mix. She has had previous roles as CEO of the African Leadership Academy and CEO of Africa’s Talking (a communications technology company), where she expanded the company into 20 markets in African countries. She also worked at Dalberg, where she helped launch the Nairobi office. Bilha holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from MIT and is a Yale Emerging Climate Leaders Fellow.
Great Carbon Valley (GCV) is a systems integrator and project development company working to harness the abundant resources of the Great Rift Valley towards the global decarbonization efforts by developing large scale green industry and carbon removals projects. GCV aims to develop comprehensive DACS-anchored industrial parks that serve as complete solutions for energy-intensive businesses, enabling them to operate with enhanced efficiency and achieving net zero targets. GCV is seeking and working with a network of actors, including energy developers, Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology ventures, carbon storage providers, green industries, and project financiers, to develop the hubs. Earlier this year, GCV announced a partnership with Climeworks to explore development of large-scale direct air capture and storage projects in Kenya.
In this episode, Na’im and Bilha discuss:
* The mission and vision of Great Carbon Valley;
* Attributes that make Kenya and East Africa ideal for hosting carbon removal projects;
* The political wil behind carbon removal in Kenya and the potential political leaders see;
* The employment and innovation opportunities that could come out of Africa;
* Policies that will support industrial-scale carbon removal in East Africa;
* Challenges and opportunities in attracting companies to build up the ecosystem in Kenya; and
* The biggest disconnect in conversations around scaling carbon removal solutions between Europe, North America, and Africa.
Relevant Links:
* Envisioning African CDR Innovation with Bilha Ndirangu, Great Carbon Valley - Carbon Removal Africa Webinar
* Africa’s Great Carbon Valley - TED Talk by James Mwangi
* Climeworks and Great Carbon Valley chart path to large-scale direct air capture and storage deployment in Kenya
This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
Tank Chen is a carbon removal advocate based in Taiwan whose focus is on communicating the importance of CDR to policy makers, corporate leaders, and the broader public through education, communications, and policy advocacy.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 29 is with Anna Stukas, Vice President of Business Development at Carbon Engineering Ltd.
Today Na’im speaks with Anna Stukas about how Carbon Engineering is helping the aviation industry to decarbonize, and what roles direct air capture (DAC) technologies play in the sector’s overall strategy to reach net-zero.
Anna Stukas is a Vice President of Business Development at Carbon Engineering Ltd. Anna is a professional engineer with nearly two decades experience bridging the gap between technology and business to overcome barriers to cleantech commercialization. She currently leads a variety of CE’s partnering and business development efforts, with a focus on the aviation ecosys tem. Anna previously worked with Angstrom Power and BIC developing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, where her responsibilities spanned IP and licensing strategy, product safety, and international regulatory development, including at the United Nations and International Civil Aviation Organization.
Anna currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, and of Science World. Anna’s work has been recognized by the Minerva Foundation’s Women In™ Energy Award for Philanthropy and Business in Vancouver’s Forty Under 40 Award. Carbon Engineering (CE) is a climate solutions company. CE is focused on the global deployment of large-scale Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology that captures carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, enabling two complementary solutions to reach true net zero: permanent carbon dioxide removal and sustainable aviation fuel. With its partners, CE is working to deploy large-scale, commercial DAC facilities.
In this episode, Na’im and Anna discuss:
* The aviation industry’s emissions problem and its progress in decarbonization;
* Challenges with sustainable aviation fuel;
* Carbon removal’s role in counter-balancing residual emissions;
* The role of direct air capture in decarbonizing aviation;
* Carbon Engineering’s recent agreement with airlines;
* The role of other carbon removal solutions play in addressing aviation emissions;
* The future of DAC in decarbonizing aviation;
* The need for government procurement of carbon removal;
* The critical pieces in ensuring sufficiency DAC capacity scale-up; and
* Impacts of the Oxy acquisition.
Relevant Links:
* Na’im’s report with Clean Air Task Force - “Decarbonizing Aviation: Challenges and Opportunities for Emerging Fuels”
* Mission Possible Partnership - “Making Net-Zero Aviation Possible”
* IATA’s Net Zero Roadmaps
* ANA Group Environmental Targets
* Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA)
* Robert Höglund on the like-for-like removal principle for offsetting
* U.S. DOE’s $35 Million “Carbon Dioxide Removal Purchase Pilot Prize”
* Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
* Oxy’s announcement to acquire Carbon Engineering (Press Release)
Special Note: Carbon Removal Canada’s official (in person) launch event is in Ottawa on November 8th from 4-6pm. Register here while there’s still space!
This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
Tank Chen is a carbon removal advocate based in Taiwan whose focus is on communicating the importance of CDR to policy makers, corporate leaders, and the broader public through education, communications, and policy advocacy.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 28 is with Marty Odlin, Founder and CEO of Running Tide.
Today Na’im speaks with Marty Odlin about how Running Tide is navigating the waters of open ocean CDR.
Marty Odlin is the Founder and CEO of Running Tide, a global ocean health company. A systems engineer from a 4th generation fishing family, Marty founded the company in 2017 after seeing the devastating implications of climate change on his own community.
Running Tide designs and deploys cutting-edge diagnostics and comprehensive interventions that rebalance the carbon cycle, decarbonize global supply chains, restore marine ecosystems, and revitalize coastal communities. Proudly headquartered in Portland, Maine, Running Tide is scaling worldwide in partnership with leading investors, companies, scientific institutions, and governments.
Since the original recording, Running Tide has completed its first carbon removal deployment season in Iceland, which resulted in the delivery of the first ever ocean-based carbon removal credits to their first customer, Shopify. The company is also founding signatory and Marty was an author of the recently released Reykjavik Protocol, a set of supplier best practices designed to responsibly grow the nature-deployed credit industry, reduce uncertainties, and clarify conflicts of interest.
In this episode, Na’im and Marty discuss:
* Carbon removal’s “victory conditions” and the critical need to engage the general public in order to reach gigaton scale carbon removal;
* The fast and slow carbon cycles;
* Running Tide’s work on ocean CDR;
* The advantages and challenges of open systems;
* The importance of following the best available science;
* The UN High Seas Treaty and implications on Running Tide’s work.
Relevant Links:
* Running Tide announcing their credit delivery (also see interview between Running Tide & Shopify regarding credit delivery)
* Blog post announcing RT signing onto the Reykjavik Protocol
* Running Tide’s Ocean CDR Research Roadmap
* Running Tide’s Framework Protocol for Open Ocean CDR
* Ocean Visions
* Ocean Frontier Institute at Dalhousie University
* UN High Seas Treaty
This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Lucia Simonelli.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via Twitter and LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 27 is with Sebastian Manhart, Senior Policy Advisor at Carbonfuture and Board Chair of DVNE, a new German carbon removal association.
In the last year, carbon removal news has been dominated by policy wins in the United States. But we know that climate change is the ultimate collective action problem, and I've been keen to learn what other jurisdictions are doing to scale carbon removal globally. The EU is likely to be a big player in the carbon removal field.
My guest today, Sebastian Manhart, will tell us about a number of meaningful policy developments underway that will have serious implications for the carbon removal field across Europe and around the world.
In this episode, Na’im and Sebastian discuss:
* The political landscape in EU
* Major policy developments in the EU
* Heavy policy focus on direct air capture vs. newer carbon removal methods
* The EU’s approach to carbon removal policy compared to the approach in the United States
* Launching the DVNE, a new German carbon removal association
Reading list:
* Understanding Carbon Removal Policy Across Europe: An Exclusive Analysis
* EU COM 2040 targets
* EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF)
* EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) explainer
* Carbonfuture Blog on ETS
* DVNE
About Sebastian:
Sebastian Manhart is a climate advocate, leveraging his skills and experiences to support policy makers in making better decisions for our planet. He is the Senior Policy Advisor of Carbonfuture, the world´s leading platform for high-quality carbon dioxide removal (CDR). Sebastian is also the Chair of the Board of the DVNE, the German CDR Association, as well as a founding Director of the US Biochar Coalition, a trade association unifying the voice of the US biochar industry. Previously, Sebastian spent a decade as a tech entrepreneur, advised Angela Merkel´s Chancellery, and worked with governments globally through the World Bank. Sebastian is an economist with a BA from UCL and an MPhil from Cambridge University.
About Carbonfuture:
Carbonfuture is the Trust Infrastructure for durable carbon removal with two products that seamlessly connect the entire carbon removal lifecycle: Carbonfuture MRV+, the most comprehensive MRV solution for durable CDR, and the Carbonfuture Marketplace, the leading marketplace for durable CDR. Carbonfuture empowers suppliers by providing the essential project support and finance needed to transform their carbon removal projects into fully certified carbon credits. For corporate buyers, Carbonfuture offers access to portfolios of carbon removal credits adhering to the established third-party standards.
Last call:
I'm looking for someone to support the production, editing, and promotion of this podcast. I’m looking for someone who is passionate about carbon removal, who can help brainstorm guest ideas, develop thought provoking interview questions, schedule and join recordings, edit recordings, write up the show notes, and promote the episode on various channels.
It's an important job and an exciting opportunity to plug into the carbon removal field. This is a fully remote contract position starting October 1st amounting to about 8 to 10 hours of work per episode. You don't need to be an expert in podcasting. I certainly wasn't when I started. Just a lot of passion, diligence, organization, and a willingness to learn. If you're interested, send an email to [email protected] with your resume and a letter of interest by September 15th.
This podcast is created and published by Na’im Merchant.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via Twitter and LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 26 is with Rahul Shendure, CEO of CarbonBuilt.
There are many different storage pathways for carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere.
One storage medium that we don't talk about enough is storage of CO2 in long-lived products like concrete. Storing CO2 in concrete not only helps solve the CO2 storage problem - especially for smaller, modular carbon removal deployments - but helps decarbonize a very carbon intense product.
My guest today, Rahul Shendure, leads a company that is developing ultra low carbon concrete that is coming off the production line today and demonstrates the exciting potential for integrating carbon removal technologies alongside other decarbonization technologies in existing industrial processes.
Rahul Shendure is a serial entrepreneur and investor focused on sustainability and health. He is the CEO of CarbonBuilt, whose technology enables the production of ultra-low carbon concrete, reducing emissions by 70-100%. He previously served as Co-Founder and CEO at Bellwether Bio, whose acquisition by Guardant Health led to the launch of the first blood-based colorectal cancer screening test. Rahul’s earlier engineering and commercial roles span a wide range of climate-related industries ranging from plastics (GE), hydrogen fuel cells (Ballard Power Systems), renewable fuels and chemicals (Amyris) and next generation renewable electricity (Oscilla Power). Rahul earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from MIT and received his MBA from Harvard Business School.
CarbonBuilt, winner of the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, enables concrete manufacturers to produce ultra-low carbon concrete products with 70-100% less embodied carbon. CarbonBuilt’s technology replaces most of the expensive, high-carbon Portland cement typically used during concrete manufacturing with a proprietary low-cost cement alternative made from widely-available low carbon materials. These materials harden after chemically reacting with CO2, to not only strengthen the blocks, but also permanently store the CO2 in solid form, diverting it from the atmosphere. Because it can be cost-effectively installed at existing concrete manufacturing plants and delivers products that meet ASTM C90 and other applicable industry standards without increasing costs, CarbonBuilt’s technology can be rapidly adopted by the nearly 800 concrete plants in the U.S. alone.
In this episode, Na’im and Rahul discuss:
* Concrete and its carbon footprint;
* CarbonBuilt’s technology for producing ultra-low carbon concrete;
* The distinction between emissions avoidance and removal both in CarbonBuilt’s technology as well as its credit system;
* CarbonBuilt’s commercial partnership with Blair Block;
* CarbonBuilt’s participation in the Four Corners Carbon Coalition’s first project;
* Barriers to scaling low carbon concrete technology and the role of policy in addressing these barriers.
Relevant Links:
* CarbonBuilt
* CarbonBuilt and Blair Block commercial partnership
* Four Corners Carbon Coalition
* CarbonBuilt and Four Corners Coalition
* Paving the Way for Low-Carbon Concrete: Recommendations for a Federal Procurement Strategy
* Concrete: Square one for scaling distributed direct air capture?
Special note:
I'm looking for someone to support the production, editing, and promotion of this podcast. I’m looking for someone who is passionate about carbon removal, who can help brainstorm guest ideas, develop thought provoking interview questions, schedule and join recordings, edit recordings, write up the show notes, and promote the episode on various channels.
It's an important job and an exciting opportunity to plug into the carbon removal field. This is a fully remote contract position starting October 1st amounting to about 8 to 10 hours of work per episode. You don't need to be an expert in podcasting. I certainly wasn't when I started. Just a lot of passion, diligence, organization, and a willingness to learn. If you're interested, send an email to [email protected] with your resume and a letter of interest by September 15th.
This podcast is created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Lucia Simonelli.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via Twitter and LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 25 is with Jack Andreasen (Breakthrough Energy) and Dr. Claire Nelson (Cella).
Today Na’im digs deep into the safe and secure storage of CO2 with Jack Andreasen and Dr. Claire Nelson.
Jack Andreasen covers carbon management policy for Breakthrough Energy. In this role he works on policy across NGOs, federal and state governments, industry and start-ups in DAC, CCS and carbon storage. Previous to this role he was an energy policy analyst at The Climate Reality Project and worked for Duke Energy.
Dr. Claire Nelson is a geochemist with expertise on geologic carbon storage and in-situ mineralization in basalt. She is currently a postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University as well as the co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Cella, a start-up developing a new technology for mineral carbon storage.
In this episode, Na’im, Jack, and Claire discuss:
* Various geologies and methods involved in geologic storage of CO2;
* The potential global capacity to store CO2 geologically as well as the challenges in scaling to meet this potential;
* The federal permitting process of Class VI wells in the United States as well as state primacy;
* Cella’s novel storage technology; and
* What makes Kenya an ideal location for durable carbon removal.
Relevant Links:
* Carbon Miners Club
* Net Zero: Science, Origins, and Implications
* Cella
This podcast is created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Lucia Simonelli.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via Twitter and LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 24 is with Professor Gregory Nemet, a Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the La Follette School of Public Affairs and Convener of the State of CDR report.
Today Na’im speaks with Professor Gregory Nemet to learn more about the current state of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) globally, the varying magnitudes of carbon removal needed by midcentury as they correspond to different decarbonization scenarios, and the gap between the amount of carbon removal needed and the amount countries are planning to deploy.
Greg Nemet is a convener of the State of CDR report - the first comprehensive global assessment of the current state of CDR. It describes the gap between how much CDR countries are planning to deploy and what is needed in scenarios to meet Paris climate goals. It finds that the size of the “CDR gap” differs across scenarios, depending on how the global economy is transformed to achieve net-zero emissions. It also finds that there are currently few plans by countries to scale CDR above current levels, exposing a substantial shortfall - which we’ll get into today.
About Prof. Gregory Nemet
Gregory Nemet is a Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the La Follette School of Public Affairs. He teaches courses in policy analysis, energy systems, and international environmental policy. Nemet's research focuses on understanding the process of technological change and the ways in which public policy can affect it. He received his doctorate in energy and resources from the University of California, Berkeley. His A.B. is in geography and economics from Dartmouth College. He received an Andrew Carnegie Fellowship in 2017 and used it to write a book on how solar PV provides lessons for the development of other low-carbon technologies: “How Solar Energy Became Cheap: A Model for Low-Carbon Innovation” (Routledge 2019). He was awarded the inaugural World Citizen Prize in Environmental Performance by APPAM in 2019. He is currently a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 6th Assessment Report.
In this episode, Na’im and Greg discuss:
* Past emerging technologies such as ammonia and solar PV that can serve as useful analogues to carbon removal;
* The varying magnitudes of carbon removal needed by midcentury as they correspond to different decarbonization scenarios;
* The gap between the amount of carbon removal needed and the amount countries are planning to deploy;
* The urgency of investing in carbon removal in the next 10-15 years to ensure that we reach the needed scale by midcentury;
* Trends and gaps across academic literature on carbon removal;
* The importance of public perception and acceptance of carbon removal;
* What comes next after the State of CDR Report.
Relevant Links:
* How Solar Became Cheap: A Model for Low-Carbon Innovation
* State of CDR Report
* Follow Professor Greg Nemet on LinkedIn and Twitter
This podcast is created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Lucia Simonelli.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via Twitter and LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 23 of The Carbon Curve is with Dr. Julio Friedman (Chief Scientist at Carbon Direct), James Mwangi (Co-Founder and CEO of Africa Climate Ventures), Ugbaad Kosar (Director of Environmental Justice at Carbon180), and Marcius Extavour (Chief Climate Solutions Officer at TIME CO2). This episode was recorded from the 2023 Direct Air Capture Summit hosted by Climeworks on June 6, 2023.
A couple of weeks ago, I attended the 2023 Direct Air Capture (DAC) Summit hosted by Climeworks and had the chance to moderate a discussion on setting up policy frameworks for scaling up carbon removal.
The summit attracted 400 participants in person and thousands more online. It has become a central convening of DAC and carbon removal experts from around the world. As I stand up a new initiative aimed at scaling carbon removal in Canada, the sessions and networking provided useful insights on where the industry is going, the opportunities on the horizon, and challenges we should expect to contend with. I personally came away from the event re-energized about the prospects of DAC and carbon removal more broadly.
The team at Climeworks did a great job organizing and hosting this event, and they worked with me to facilitate a handful of interviews live from the event venue with leaders in the carbon removal field to discuss their reflections from the summit and what is energizing them at this important juncture of this new industry. I had a chance to speak with:
* Dr. Julio Friedmann, Chief Scientist at Carbon Direct (LinkedIn, Twitter)
* James Mwangi, Co-Founder and CEO of Africa Climate Ventures (LinkedIn, Twitter)
* Link to: Africa Climate Summit 2023
* Ugbaad Kosar, Director of Environmental Justice at Carbon180 (LinkedIn, Twitter)
* Dr. Marcius Extavour, Chief Climate Solutions Officer at TIME CO2 (LinkedIn, Twitter)
I think the substance of these conversations reveal some valuable themes coming out of the event itself that I hope will be orienting and enlightening as we navigate this rapidly growing sector.
This podcast is created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Lucia Simonelli.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via Twitter and LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 22 is with Dr. Sifang Chen, a Managing Science and Innovation Advisor at Carbon180 and author of the recent white paper, Depending on the Ocean: Research and Policy Priorities for Responsible Ocean Carbon Removal.
We continue to see growing interest in enhancing the ocean's ability to remove and store carbon dioxide. In the last month alone, we've seen the largest investment to date in an ocean-based carbon removal startup, California-based Ebb Carbon.
Soon after, Dalhousie University announced it received CA$154 million - its largest grant ever - from the Canadian government to investigate the ocean's role in climate change, including advancing the science and technology around ocean-based carbon removal. In the face of economic uncertainty, it looks like ocean-based carbon removal isn't going anywhere, but a number of critical questions remain about its future.
Today Na’im speaks with Dr. Sifang Chen from Carbon180 to learn more about ocean carbon removal pathways and how policy can help clarify efficacy, ecosystem impacts, and necessary regulations and governance.
Dr. Chen authored the recently published Carbon180 white paper entitled, Depending on the Ocean: Research and Policy Priorities for Responsible Ocean Carbon Removal. This paper explores how policy can help lower existing uncertainties around ocean carbon removal and offers specific recommendations aimed at clarifying efficacy, ecosystem impacts, and necessary regulations and governance.
In this episode, Na’im and Sifang discuss:
* Fun facts about the ocean and the immense amount we still don’t know about it;
* Categories and types of ocean carbon removal methods;
* Major challenges facing ocean carbon removal;
* A responsible vs. irresponsible future for ocean carbon removal;
* Policy’s role in ensuring the responsible future; and
* Centering environmental justice in ocean carbon removal.
Relevant Links:
* Depending on the Ocean: Research and Policy Priorities for Responsible Ocean Carbon Removal
* Ebb Carbon’s $20M Series A raise
* Dalhousie University receives CA$154M to study the ocean’s pivotal role in climate change
* Follow Sifang on Twitter and LinkedIn
About Dr. Sifang Chen
Dr. Sifang Chen is a Managing Science and Innovation Advisor at Carbon180 and currently leads the organization's ocean CDR focus. Sifang works to ensure Carbon180’s policy work is informed by the most up-to-date science and industry knowledge. She has previously worked in science policy, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. Sifang holds a BS in physics from the University of British Columbia and PhD in physics from the University of Washington.
This podcast is created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Lucia Simonelli.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via Twitter and LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 21 of the Carbon Curve is with Dr. Shuchi Talati, founder of the recently launched nonprofit, The Alliance for Just Deliberation for Solar Geoengineering.
In this episode, Na’im and Dr. Shuchi Talati talk about shifting the conversation on two major climate interventions in the course of her career. First, we discuss her experience working with the Department of Energy to help facilitate a major shift in mandate for the Office of Fossil Energy and making it the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management. Second, we discuss an exciting new nonprofit that proposes a major shift in how we advance deliberations on a contentious topic that is often wrongly conflated with carbon removal - solar geo engineering.
In this episode, Na’im and Dr. Talati discuss:
* Dr. Talati’s experience as Chief of Staff of DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management;
* DOE’s CDR initiatives including the Carbon Negative Shot, Direct Air Capture Hubs, and Mission Innovation;
* The growing focus on environmental justice and community engagement in CDR;
* The important distinction between CDR and solar geoengineering;
* The need for inclusive governance structures and capacity building in the context of solar geoengineering; and
* The launch of her new nonprofit, The Alliance for Just Deliberation for Solar Geoengineering.
Relevant Links:
* Our New Name is also a New Vision (DOE)
* DOE’s Carbon Negative Shot
* Mission Innovation - CDR
* How Direct Air Capture Succeeds: A framework for Effective DAC Hubs
* The Alliance for Just Deliberation for Solar Geoengineering
About Dr. Shuchi Talati
Dr. Talati is the founder of the recently launched nonprofit, The Alliance for Just Deliberation for Solar Geoengineering. She is also a Senior Visiting Scholar at Carbon180 where she is focusing on how to build just and sustainable carbon removal at scale. She most recently served as a Presidential Appointee in the Biden-Harris Administration as Chief of Staff of the Office of Fossil Energy & Carbon Management at the U.S. Department of Energy. She has also worked for multiple nonprofits as well as in the U.S. Senate. Dr. Talati earned a BS in environmental engineering from Northwestern University, an MA in climate and society from Columbia University, and PhD from Carnegie Mellon in engineering and public policy.
This podcast is created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Lucia Simonelli.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via Twitter and LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com -
Episode 20 of The Carbon Curve is with Marian Krüger, co-lead of the Remove Accelerator and Decarbonization Lead for Sus.Lab at ETH Zürich
Let’s hop over the Atlantic and talk about the carbon removal (or CDR) innovation and policy landscape in Europe. The EU is the world’s third largest economy, and it’s well positioned to have a major impact on the future of carbon removal policy and innovation. I wanted to understand Europe's potential in terms of what's in the innovation pipeline, as well as what systemic gaps need to be addressed to make Europe a carbon removal powerhouse.
Today, Na’im speaks to Marian Krüger, co-lead of the Remove Accelerator and Decarbonization Lead for Sus.Lab at ETH Zürich. Remove is a new accelerator program designed to support carbon removal innovators while strengthening the CDR ecosystem.
Sus.Lab or The Sustainability in Business Lab is a “Think and Do Tank” launched by the Chair for Sustainability and Technology at ETH Zürich. The lab was founded in 2016 with a mission to bring sustainability research into the real world through hands-on industry projects.
The Remove Accelerator (formerly known as Carbon Removal ClimAccelerator before the rebrand) is Europe’s first and only accelerator program purely focused on CDR startups. Originated as a project at ETH Zurich’s Sustainability in Business Lab, the non-profit, non-equity program has supported more than 60 European early-stage CDR startups since its start in 2021 with coaching, expert matchmaking, ecosystem access and non-dilutive capital.
In this episode, Na’im and Marian discuss:
* The carbon removal work at ETH Zürich’s Sustainability in Business Lab
* The genesis and evolution of the Remove Accelerator (previously the Carbon Removal ClimAccelerator)
* Country-level carbon removal policies in the EU and UK
* EU-level policy progress and gaps
Relevant Links:
* Sus.Lab at ETH Zürich
* Carbon removal work
* DemoUpCARMA & DemoUpStorage
* Remove Accelerator
* EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework
* Luxembourg Negative Emissions Tariff
* The L NET Straw Proposal - A Negative Emissions Tariff for Luxembourg and Beyond
* Sweden’s carbon removal strategy
* Is Sweden becoming the world leader on BECCS?
* Switzerland’s long term climate strategy
* UK greenhouse gas removal (GGR) business models
About Marian Krüger:
Marian Krüger has spent his whole career in impact entrepreneurship. First as a venture developer at the German green utility, Innogy, before founding his own startup, Ucair, to increase photovoltaic yield using drones and AI data analytics. After its acquisition, he went on to join ETH Zurich’s Sustainability in Business Lab as Decarbonization Lead and co-founded and now leads the Remove Accelerator. Marian holds two Masters degrees, one in education and one in behavioral economics and sustainability from the London School of Economics.
This podcast is created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Lucia Simonelli.
Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via Twitter and LinkedIn.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com - Mostrar mais
