A Landmark Deal in Carbon Removal Technology
Google has made a significant commitment to carbon removal by entering into a long-term agreement with Terradot, a startup specializing in enhanced rock weathering (ERW). This partnership marks Google’s first engagement with an ERW-focused company and sets the stage for scaling this innovative carbon removal method. As part of the deal, Google will purchase 200,000 tons of carbon removal credits, with deliveries expected in the early 2030s. This deal is the largest of its kind to date, highlighting the growing importance of ERW in climate change mitigation.
Understanding Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW)
What is Enhanced Rock Weathering?
Enhanced rock weathering is a technique designed to accelerate the natural process of rock weathering, where silicate rocks such as basalt are ground into fine particles and spread across large land areas. The increased surface area facilitates chemical reactions with the environment—specifically, the air and water—leading to the absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2). The process results in the removal of significant amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere, helping to combat climate change.
Research suggests that ERW has the potential to remove between six to thirty megatons (Mt) of CO2 annually if deployed at scale. This makes it one of the more promising methods for carbon capture, especially when considering the challenges of scaling other carbon removal technologies, such as direct air capture (DAC).
The Role of Terradot in Scaling ERW
Founded in 2022 at Stanford University, Terradot is dedicated to solving the scientific and operational challenges of scaling ERW. The company is currently conducting pilot operations in Brazil, where it partners with EMBRAPA, a Brazilian agricultural research institution. In these pilot operations, Terradot has already spread over 48,000 tons of rock across 1,800 hectares of agricultural land. The partnership with Google and other investors aims to further scale these efforts, positioning ERW as a viable solution for large-scale carbon removal.
Google’s Investment in Terradot: A Strategic Move for Carbon Removal
Long-Term Commitment to Carbon Neutrality
This deal is part of Google’s ongoing efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and accelerate the development of new technologies to achieve carbon neutrality. The tech giant has been increasingly focused on carbon removal, particularly through partnerships and investments in startups developing innovative solutions. By purchasing carbon removal credits from Terradot, Google not only supports the growth of ERW technology but also advances its own sustainability goals.
Randy Spock, the Carbon Credits & Removals Lead for Google, stated, “To unlock enhanced rock weathering as a useful tool for CO2 removal, we need to deploy it at scale and learn how to measure the results rigorously using real-world data. Terradot is well-positioned to do that work in an especially promising geography, and we’re excited to support them to help deliver significant amounts of CO2 removal.” This support underscores Google’s long-term commitment to both mitigating climate change and fostering scalable carbon removal solutions.
Equity Investment to Foster Growth
In addition to purchasing carbon removal credits, Google has made a direct equity investment in Terradot. This investment is designed to help the startup scale its operations and refine its technology. By backing Terradot financially, Google is ensuring that the company can further develop the processes needed to make ERW a mainstream method of CO2 removal.
This move follows a broader trend of corporate engagement with carbon removal startups. In 2023, Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund also invested in Terradot, marking another significant milestone in the adoption of ERW technology. The combination of direct investments and long-term carbon credit purchases signals a growing recognition of ERW as a key player in the fight against climate change.
The Growing Carbon Removal Market
A Boost from Frontier’s Carbon Capture Partnership
Google’s deal with Terradot follows a broader trend in which major companies are actively purchasing carbon removal credits. Notably, Frontier—a carbon capture partnership formed by Stripe, Alphabet, Shopify, Meta, and McKinsey—has agreed to purchase 90,000 tons of carbon removal credits from Terradot over the next several years. This $27 million agreement further illustrates the growing confidence in ERW as a scalable carbon removal technology.
The partnership with Frontier also plays a strategic role in lowering the cost of ERW deployment. As more customers commit to purchasing carbon credits, the overall market for ERW becomes more efficient, benefiting companies like Google that aim to scale their carbon removal efforts. This collective approach is seen as essential in reducing the costs of carbon removal technologies and ensuring their widespread adoption.
Competitive Landscape of Carbon Removal Solutions
As the market for carbon removal continues to evolve, ERW is not the only technology vying for attention. Companies like Holocene, specializing in direct air capture, have also seen significant investments. In fact, Google itself signed a $10 million agreement with Holocene in 2024 to remove up to 100,000 tons of CO2 through direct air capture (DAC), a technology that captures CO2 directly from the atmosphere and stores it underground.
These diverse investments underscore the importance of a multi-faceted approach to carbon removal, where multiple technologies, including ERW, DAC, and nature-based solutions, will play vital roles in achieving net-zero emissions.
Challenges and Opportunities for Enhanced Rock Weathering
Scientific and Operational Hurdles
While ERW offers significant promise, it faces a number of scientific, engineering, and operational challenges. Scaling the technology to the point where it can remove billions of tons of CO2 annually requires overcoming a range of hurdles, including the need for more precise measurements of CO2 sequestration rates, optimizing the rock grinding process, and ensuring the sustainability of large-scale deployment.
James Kanoff, CEO of Terradot, highlighted the ambitious nature of these challenges, stating, “ERW has the potential to remove billions of tons of CO₂ this decade. Realizing that potential demands overcoming major scientific, engineering, and operational challenges within a tight timeline.”
Despite these challenges, the growing interest in ERW from both tech giants like Google and organizations like Frontier signals that solutions are within reach. If successful, ERW could become a critical tool in the global effort to mitigate climate change.
The Future of Carbon Removal
Google’s deal with Terradot represents a major step forward in the development and scaling of enhanced rock weathering technology. By investing in ERW and securing long-term carbon removal credits, Google is contributing to a growing movement that sees the value in carbon removal technologies. As these solutions mature, they have the potential to play a crucial role in helping the world achieve its climate goals.
FAQ Section
What is Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW)?
ERW is a method of carbon removal that involves grinding silicate rocks like basalt and spreading them over land to accelerate natural chemical reactions that absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.
Why is Google investing in Terradot?
Google is investing in Terradot to support the scaling of ERW technology, which has the potential to remove significant amounts of CO2 and help the company meet its carbon neutrality goals.
What other companies are investing in ERW technology?
Microsoft and Frontier are also investing in ERW technology, with Frontier committing to purchase 90,000 tons of carbon removal credits from Terradot.
How much CO2 can ERW remove annually?
Research suggests that ERW could potentially remove between six and thirty megatons (Mt) of CO2 annually if deployed at scale.
