Carbfix has achieved a major milestone by injecting CO2 dissolved in seawater into Iceland’s basaltic subsurface at Helguvík in Reykjanesbær, Iceland. This represents an important step in the advancement of carbon capture and storage technology, as it is the world’s first field test of achieving permanent carbon dioxide storage through mineralization using seawater.
The project, named Seastone, is a collaborative endeavor involving Carbfix, ETH Zurich, the University of Iceland, Iceland GeoSurvey, the universities of Geneva and Lausanne, and University College London.
The CO2 injected in Seastone originates from the DemoUpCARMA pilot project led by ETH Zurich, which focuses on demonstrating and scaling up carbon capture, utilization, transport, and storage technologies to generate negative emissions or reduce CO2 emissions in sectors such as cement manufacturing, waste-to-energy plants, and chemical plants.
Carbfix’s CO2 mineralization method requires water to dissolve CO2 and inject it into basaltic rocks. The potential adoption of seawater is of particular importance as it would enable application of subsurface mineralization in regions with limited water resources, and broaden the technology’s application to coastal and offshore areas worldwide.
Following successful laboratory tests conducted in collaboration with the University of Iceland, Carbfix has now progressed to testing the use of seawater in field trials for the first time where the injection and mineralization processes will be assessed using an array of established and novel scientific methods.
Edda Aradóttir, CEO of Carbfix, underscored the significance of Seastone: “Seastone represents one of Carbfix’s significant research and development projects. While our technology has global applicability, the use of seawater holds the potential to significantly enhance its reach.”
,,We are thrilled about the outstanding collaborations that have brought Seastone to this pivotal stage. We are enthusiastic about moving forward and proud that Seastone now has a second world first achievement on its resume, after achieving with DemoUpCARMA a cross-border transport of Swiss CO2 to Iceland and its injection using fresh water last year” Einar Magnús Einarsson, Project manager for Seastone at Carbfix.
This milestone marks a notable advancement in the quest for sustainable carbon capture and storage solutions, with implications that extend beyond borders.
More about Carbfix can be found here: https://www.carbfix.com/
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