US-based direct ocean capture (DOC) company Captura has announced plans to expand its research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) capacity in Los Angeles and Hawaii.
Following a series of successful funding rounds, Captura has been on a mission to accelerate the development of its technology, pushing for commercialization and large-scale deployments.
Currently, the company has two operational pilot systems installed at the Port of Los Angeles, where it uses seawater and renewable electricity to extract carbon directly from the upper levels of the ocean. Once extracted, the CO2 can be stored or reused.
Last week, Captura announced that it will increase the RD&D activities at their Alta Sea site in LA, home to their pilot facility that removes 100 tons of carbon dioxide annually.
To that end, the company will install new equipment and technology that will be used to test operational upgrades and advancements to the processes of electrodialysis and gas extraction, the results of which are expected to increase the efficiency of their work.
With the help of its oceanography team, Captura will also extend the reach of its ongoing ocean health and Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) program with a range of new environmental protocols, impact studies, and ocean modeling activities.
In collaboration with Equinor, Captura announced that it will launch a new pilot at the Hawaii Ocean Science and Technology (HOST) Park, a prominent research site led by the Natural Energy Laboratory of the Hawaii Authority.
Relevant: Captura Gets Two New Investors, Reaches $45.3M In Series A Funding
This pilot was originally planned to be installed at Equinor’s Kårstø natural gas processing facility in Norway, however, as stated by Captura, it got moved to Hawaii “to increase the speed of technology demonstration and rapidly advance DOC towards commercial deployment.”
According to Captura, the installation of the system is projected to begin this November, and the pilot is expected to be operational in early 2025. Once online, the system will be able to capture 1000 tons of carbon from the ocean annually.
The company also shared that upon a successful demonstration of their technology at kiloton scale, they intend to roll out commercial plants around the world.
Read more: Ecospray And Captura Partner On Breakthrough Seawater CO2 Removal Project
