SeaChange – the Los Angeles startup that has found a groundbreaking carbon dioxide removal technology turning CO2 into seashells, came in the front row of The Liveability Challenge 2021 competition. It triumphs ahead of five other finalists and claims a $735,000 prize in funding for its project.
The Liveability Challenge is an annual competition in search for the best solution for problems related to Southeast Asia’s fast-growing cities. The participants take part in a series of live presentations to an expert panel of judges, some of them in-person, others virtual as a response to the pandemic.
The 2021 edition of the competition was organized by Eco-Business and was themed around ideas to reduce and lock in greenhouse gas emissions. The circular economy of emissions – restorative and regenerative in design was a focus in the competition. The prize was sponsored by the Temasek Foundation – the philanthropic arm of Singapore state investment firm Temasek.
SeaChange Carbon Dioxide Removal Technology
SeaChange impressed the judges with its carbon removal technology that converts dissolved CO2 in seawater into stable solid carbonates. They can then be used to make construction materials like cement and concrete. The process also creates limestone and magnesite which are essentially ground-up seashells.
According to one of the judges – Steve Melhuish, impact investor at Planet Rise the idea is a “big, bold approach to carbon capture”. He also expressed support for leveraging desalination plants in Singapore to help achieve scale for the carbon capture technology.
Other finalists are also presenting innovative approaches to the critical climate change problem. DiviGas – a Singapore-based firm, is one of the carbon capture companies that take away CO2 from hydrogen plants. The UK-based Econic Technologies uses carbon to produce sustainable polyurethanes, textiles, and surfactants.
Aegis Packaging is another participant making sustainable packaging using silicate polymers. It was found to be the most popular among the audience. NEU Battery Materials is also revolutionizing the EV space by recycling lithium from electric vehicle batteries.
SeaChange technology has received interest from the carbon dioxide removal space and could certainly shape up the carbon capture utilization and storage industry in the near future.
