Tech Giants Invest $57 Million in Volcanic Rock Innovation for Carbon Capture

Tech giants like Shopify, Alphabet, and Stripe are contributing a significant $57.1 million to Lithos, a startup that uses crushed volcanic rock to improve agricultural yields and capture carbon dioxide (CO2). This is an unconventional but innovative approach. This creative approach is gaining popularity because it not only helps farmers but also makes a major contribution to the pressing need for carbon removal.

Originating from academic research at Yale less than two years ago, Lithos has rapidly expanded its operations and is currently collaborating with over 80 farms across nine states. The recent funding commitment from major players underscores the potential of this unique method. The goal is to remove 154,000 tons of CO2 over the next four years.

Traditional carbon removal methods involve large machines pulling CO2 directly from the air. However, Lithos employs a geological process to accelerate carbon capture. By spreading crushed volcanic rock on fields in a specific manner, the startup expedites a natural chemical reaction that occurs when rain interacts with certain types of rocks. This process captures CO2, which eventually flows into waterways and reaches the ocean, where it remains permanently sequestered.

Nan Ransohoff, Head of Climate at Stripe and leader of Frontier, a group dedicated to scaling carbon-removal startups, explains the appeal of this method: “Enhanced weathering companies are trying several different approaches to make that go faster—to suck the carbon out of the air in months or years rather than hundreds or thousands of years.” Frontier’s commitment to purchasing carbon removal services from Lithos marks its most substantial pledge to date.

The effectiveness of Lithos’s approach was demonstrated on a farm in Northern Wisconsin. Six months after the application of 1,421 metric tons of rock dust, measurements indicated the permanent removal of 175 metric tons of CO2. This success was coupled with a remarkable 36% increase in yields on one field. Farmer Paul Lapacinski, the beneficiary of this sustainable method, attested to its economic benefits, particularly in the face of rising fuel and fertilizer costs.

The volcanic rocks, known as basalt, are readily available in large quantities as waste from quarries. Leveraging existing infrastructure, Lithos seamlessly integrates the addition of basalt to fields into farmers’ routines. Co-founder and CEO Mary Yap notes, “The infrastructure already exists. It doesn’t require new technological innovation or breakthroughs for us to scale this.”

Studies suggest that this method, known as enhanced weathering, holds the potential to remove 2 to 4 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere annually by the middle of the century, comprising a substantial portion of required carbon removal. While acknowledging the need for diverse carbon removal solutions, Ransohoff highlights the promise of enhanced weathering due to its potential to achieve gigaton scale at low costs within a relatively short timeframe.

Challenges remain, particularly in logistical operations, including the transportation of materials at massive volumes. However, Lithos is poised to capture a billion tons of CO2 this decade, fueled by strong demand from participating farmers and ample raw materials. The Frontier deal is anticipated to accelerate the company’s timeline, bringing the ambitious goal within reach.