27: Harnessing the Ocean's Might: In-Depth with SeaO2 Founders on their Mission to Capture a Gigaton of CO2 by 2035

SustainNOW Podcast - Exploring Climate Solutions with Innovators and Entrepreneurs

Rose and Ruben co-founded SeaO2, an oceanic carbon removal company based in the Netherlands, with the ambitious mission to reduce CO2 concentrations in the ocean and the atmosphere, combating global warming. Rose, inspired by her PhD research on electrochemical oceanic carbon capture, partnered with Ruben, a serial entrepreneur with expertise in business consulting, to bring their vision to life. Along with their third co-founder, David Vermaas, they formed SeaO2, aiming to capture 1 Gigaton of CO2 by 2035.

SeaO2’s innovative technology harnesses the natural flow of ocean water to capture and store CO2, using electrochemical processes to treat and decarbonize the water. This decarbonized water is then returned to the ocean’s surface layer, where it can absorb more atmospheric CO2. Their compact carbon capture plant can be plugged into existing ocean infrastructure, making it adaptable and scalable. The captured carbon is then stored, and SeaO2 sells carbon credits to companies to help offset their irreducible emissions.

In this episode, Rose and Ruben discuss the technology behind SeaO2, the importance of oceanic carbon removal in addressing climate change, and the challenges they face in measuring and scaling their solution. They also explore the various possibilities for ocean-based carbon capture technologies, comparing SeaO2’s approach to other methods in the industry. Additionally, they dive into the regulatory and financial aspects of developing a new climate solution and their long-term vision for achieving global impact. With a focus on preserving ocean health and biodiversity, SeaO2 offers a promising solution for combating climate change while benefiting marine ecosystems.

Capíttulos

1. 27: Harnessing the Ocean's Might: In-Depth with SeaO2 Founders on their Mission to Capture a Gigaton of CO2 by 2035 (00:00:00)

2. How did you meet and how did you get started on this idea? (00:02:40)

3. Can you explain what SeaO2 does? (00:04:00)

4. How do you capture and transfer the CO2? (00:05:47)

5. What is the status of your current prototype? (00:06:20)

6. How does that technology actually look like? (00:07:33)

7. What is the size of the device? (00:10:00)

8. How does the CO2 Liquefying work? (00:11:15)

9. What are other possibilities for use? (00:12:19)

10. What are the key differences in carbon capture technologies? (00:14:15)

11. How many devices do you need to remove 1 gigaton? (00:15:45)

12. What is the cost per tonnage of CO2? (00:17:00)

13. What are the downsides compared to other CO2 capture technologies? (00:17:40)

14. Why is it so difficult to measure the amount captured in the ocean compared to the land? (00:19:30)

15. Can you explain the oceanic carbon cycle? (00:21:08)

16. What are the pros and cons of other sea carbon technologies? (00:25:00)

17. Is there any negative impact on living organisms? (00:27:50)

18. How far are you in development? (00:30:50)

19. How are you financed? (00:33:27)

20. Does SeaO2 own the technology? (00:35:40)

21. What regulatory considerations do you need for SeaO2? (00:36:30)

22. What have you learned the most in your companies journey so far? (00:39:25)

23. What makes you confident that we will solve the climate crisis? (00:42:00)

24. How can people get in touch with you? (00:44:00)