Isometric has officially certified the protocol for carbon removal achieved through Direct Ocean Capture & Storage (DOCS).
The certification comes after a four-month public consultation period, during which Isometric gathered valuable input from buyers, suppliers, and expert marine geochemistry academics.
Developed as a collaboration between Isometric’s in-house Science Team and its independent Science Network reviewers, the protocol follows the Isometric Standard and takes into account practical feedback provided by DOCS suppliers Captura, CarbonBlue, and SeaO2.
DOCS as a carbon removal method is based on the ocean’s natural ability to absorb atmospheric CO2 through a process known as equilibration.
The technology includes drawing seawater into a facility where a process powered by electrical currents or chemicals separates dissolved carbon dioxide from the water molecules.
Once separated, the CO2 then gets permanently stored, while the decarbonized water is returned to the surface ocean layers, where it will continue absorbing more atmospheric carbon dioxide through equilibration.
This technology fights both excess carbon emissions in the atmosphere and the problem of ocean acidification caused by them, presenting a scalable solution that can be applied on a larger level without requiring vast amounts of land, water, or mineral feedstock resources.
Through the DOCS protocol, Isometric provides suppliers with a scientifically rigorous monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) approach to track the achieved carbon removal.
For that purpose, the protocol uses Isometric’s Air-Sea Carbon Dioxide Uptake Module, which combines on-site measurements with internationally recognized ocean models.
To be able to issue DOCS credits under this protocol, suppliers can use a range of CO2 storage modules, such as saline aquifers, in-situ or ex-situ mineralization, carbonation in the built environment, and dissolved inorganic carbon in oceans.
Captura CEO Steve Oldham commented that with this protocol, Isometric has established the scientific standards needed for third-party verification of carbon credits from Direct Ocean Capture with durable storage.
He stated, “At Captura, we’re proud to see our technology supported by a rigorous framework that gives buyers, investors, and policymakers the confidence to invest in this high-quality carbon removal pathway.”
Read more: Dutch Startup SeaO2 Secures Over $2M In Seed Funding For Its Direct Ocean Capture Tech
