The frontline | musk-sponsored carbon reduction competition announced the winning teams, and two Chinese teams were selected in the top 60

Text | Zhang Yichi

Edit | Su Jianxun

Los Angeles time reported on April 22 that the XPRIZE Foundation announced the winners of the "Carbon Removal Competition" Milestone Award.

The foundation received a $100 million prize from Musk in 2021, and the Tesla founder, who has always been passionate about green carbon reduction, said at the time: "We hope that the participating teams can build a billion tons of carbon removal solutions that can be implemented." Whatever it takes! Time is of the essence! ”

"Carbon removal" refers to the absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through scientific schemes, and the purpose of green carbon reduction is ultimately achieved. In order to win the prize money, the participating teams need to demonstrate the existing technical solution to remove 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, and at the same time, the cost estimate will be based on the scale modeling of 1 million tons, showing how to achieve the long-term goal of 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide removal per year in the future.

At present, 1133 teams from all over the world have registered to participate in the competition, and after three rounds of selection, 15 teams from Australia, Canada, France, Iceland, Kenya, the Netherlands, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States have equally shared the $15 million milestone prize. These teams provide carbon removal solutions from four aspects: air, land, ocean and rocks.

The milestone award, which totals $15 million, is only a current phase of the award. To motivate participating teams, the XPRIZE Foundation also has a final prize of $50 million, which will be announced in 2025 and will be shared exclusively by the champion team.

Among the team that won the Milestone Award, The Icelandic team Carbfix was particularly prominent, injecting 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide into basalt formations each year and permanently converting them into stone. Relying on "Mineral and Fluid Absorption of Carbon Dioxide" and "Electrical Decarbonization" technologies, Carbfix won two Milestone Awards.

Despite the failure of the Milestone Award, the original technology and KFC (KELP FARM CAREER) from China still have a good performance, and they were selected as the top 60 with rock and ocean direction technology routes respectively, which became a highlight.

Through the mineralization and utilization process, the original technology combines carbon dioxide with industrial waste to generate building materials or industrial supplies, forming an industrial carbon closed loop. KFC provides carbon removal solutions formed by anchorage, seaweed farming, carbon removal monitoring, and high-value utilization of seaweed biochar. Through technology iteration, all registered teams have the hope of competing for the final prize.

XPRIZE Carbon Removal Competition Selected Companies Distribution

Founded in 1995, XPRIZE is a non-profit organization that encourages technological development for the benefit of mankind through competitions, and the famous director James Cameron is one of the board members of the fund. To date, XPRIZE has held 25 competitions with a cumulative prize fund of $269 million on three themes: innovation, environment, and healthcare.

The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a subsidiary of the United Nations, has proposed that from now on, the world needs to remove an average of 10 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year to hope to control climate warming to rise below 2 degrees Celsius in 2050, and "carbon removal" has become an important issue related to the living conditions of all mankind, and carbon removal is one of the important methods, which is why Musk co-organized a carbon removal competition with XPRIZE.

ANOUSHEH ANSARI, CEO of XPRIZE, stressed: "The planet is our home, and it is not too late to rewrite history and create a better future with creativity, innovation and competition. ”

Summary of Milestone Award winners (in order of official website):

air:

Calcite from 8 Rivers Capital - USA - Uses a calcium hydroxide carbonation process to extract carbon dioxide from the air on a large scale.

Carbyon - Holland - Uses the material in the bowl to quickly absorb carbon dioxide with the rapid oscillation of the bowl.

Heirloom & Carbfix – USA, Iceland – absorbs carbon dioxide through minerals and fluids.

Project Hajar - Uk - uses peridot mineralization to absorb carbon dioxide

Sustaera - USA - "Direct Air Capture" technology absorbs carbon dioxide.

Verdox & Carbfix - USA, Iceland - "Electric decarbonization" technology fixes carbon dioxide.

land:

The Bioeconomy Institute Carbon Removal Team – USA – absorbs carbon dioxide through the process of pyrolysis to produce bio-oils and carbon blocks.

Global Algae Innovations – USA – algae farms that capture carbon dioxide.

NetZero - France - Fix carbon dioxide by the process of pyrolysis to produce carbonite

PlantVillage – USA – uses artificial intelligence to help African farmers adapt to climate change

Takachar & Safi Organics - Kenya - uses "oxygen-depleted baking" technology to convert waste biomass into useful substances such as fuel, fertilizer and so on.

ocean:

Captura from Caltech - USA - Direct extraction of carbon dioxide from seawater through some technique.

Marine Permaculture Sea Forestation - USA, Philippines, Australia - Absorbs carbon dioxide through deep-water irrigation, high seaweed farming.

Planetary – Canada – converts mine waste into mild, non-toxic antacids that help restore ocean pH.

rock:

Carbin Minerals – Canada – mineralizes mine waste to remove carbon dioxide.

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