Climate action platform Patch is teaming up with clean energy consulting and auditing firm EcoEngineers to make sure new carbon removal technologies are effective and trustworthy.
The voluntary carbon market has come under a lot of fire lately with concerns raised regarding the transparency of marketplaces, the effectiveness of different carbon removal methods and so on.
This new partnership will combine the Patch digital carbon marketplace and the science-based project evaluations and due diligence of EcoEngineers to hopefully bring more integrity to the carbon removal space.
“Our scientists and engineers provide companies introducing new technologies the solid validation needed to sell on Patch’s trusted and transparent platform,” said Shashi Menon, CEO, EcoEngineers.
EcoEngineers is currently in the process of creating novel measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) approaches to help companies that are introducing new technologies calculate the actual reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions their tech can achieve.
Some examples include the sinking of seaweed, which is considered a powerful tool for sequestering CO2 from the atmosphere, to the bottom of the ocean – a technique introduced by Seaweed Generation.
Relevant: The Guardian Investigation Of Verra Carbon Offsets Claims More Than 90% Are “Worthless”
Another example is seen from Andes, a company that is using microorganisms to remove carbon dioxide from the air and mineralize it for permanent storage.
Brilliant Planet, a startup that grows microalgae in coastal deserts in outdoor ponds to sequester CO2, is another great example of novel carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technology that can be brought to gigaton scale.
EcoEngineers senior carbon consultant and voluntary market leader David LaGreca explains that the very novelty and unconventional nature of these CDR approaches requires very different methodologies to ensure that they meet the highest level of scientific standard.
Read more: Top 10 Carbon Removal Marketplaces In 2023
