Multinational tech giant Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) has signed a long-term carbon removal offtake agreement with CREW Carbon, underscoring growing corporate interest in technologies that permanently remove carbon dioxide (CO2) while leveraging existing industrial infrastructure.
The agreement covers the delivery of up to 23,602 metric tons of durable carbon removal generated through CREW Carbon’s wastewater alkalinity enhancement technology.
The process increases the ability of wastewater treatment systems to capture and permanently store atmospheric CO2 while also improving plant operations, according to the company.
The deal adds wastewater treatment to Microsoft’s expanding portfolio of carbon removal pathways as the technology company works toward its goal of becoming carbon negative by 2030.
Microsoft has emerged as one of the world’s largest buyers of durable carbon removal credits, using long-term purchasing agreements to help commercialize emerging climate technologies.
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Scaling An Emerging Carbon Removal Pathway
Unlike conventional carbon capture systems that require dedicated infrastructure, CREW Carbon’s approach is designed to integrate with existing wastewater treatment facilities.
By enhancing water chemistry, the technology accelerates the natural conversion of atmospheric CO2 into stable dissolved bicarbonates, enabling long-term storage while utilizing infrastructure already in place.
The Microsoft agreement represents another commercial milestone for CREW Carbon following previous advance purchase commitments, including a $32 million offtake agreement facilitated by Frontier in December 2024.
The startup has said such long-term contracts are critical to financing deployment and demonstrating the commercial viability of novel carbon removal technologies.
The deal with Microsoft “further validates our approach to delivering high-quality, durable carbon credits while we optimize wastewater treatment performance,” said Dr. Joachim Katchinoff, CEO and co-founder of CREW Carbon.
Read more: CREW Carbon Secures $25M To Scale Its Wastewater Treatment Optimization Technology
