Putting Carbon Back... Again
Solid Carbon’s latest objective is to undertake a field demonstration in the Cascadia Basin! This is enabled by a $24M investment by the Government of Canada through the New Frontiers in Research Fund’s Transformation (NFRFT) program – representing greater than 10X expansion over the earlier Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) feasibility study.
Solid Carbon helps mitigate climate change by removing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it beneath the seafloor. A defining feature is that stored CO2 reacts with resident basalt minerals and transforms into solid rock.
My role as project/alliance manager and technical contributor continues from the previous phase, with a new affiliation at lead organization Ocean Networks Canada (ONC). Among other new complexities, I now contend with: a larger team; expanded budgets; marine operations; and physical and digital infrastructure development and integration with ONC’s existing ocean observatory. Fortunately, the new phase also brings new dedicated staff and deeper ONC support as Solid Carbon is positioned as a model for advancing its strategic pillar of climate action and coastal resilience. Overall, project scope has expanded along with my responsibilities.
Solid Carbon’s core remains an international and transdisciplinary research partnership. In the context of the demonstration is integrated research across engineering, biogeosciences, economics, policy, law and regulation, history, and social science. This is complemented by robust government and public engagement.
As of writing, it has been less than one year into the NFRFT phase and thus major outcomes are still emerging. That said, the team has remobilized, grown, and is managing change effectively. The project is on track for its first networked instrument deployments in 2026. Meanwhile, advocacy continues in a new environment of major federal projects and nation-building – where Solid Carbon presents the only (and most robust) option for CO2 sequestration in the Pacific.
You can learn more about Solid Carbon here.
