A climate startup on Wednesday dumped 8,200 metric tons of CO2-absorbing sand off the coast of the Outer Banks, in one of the nation’s largest carbon removal tests so far.
Vesta estimates that its pilot project will eventually remove 5,000 tons of carbon from the atmosphere. By comparison, the maximum annual removal capacity of Heirloom’s first robot-enabled direct air capture plant, in California, is just 1,000 tons.
In addition to its climate benefits, the project may also fortify the shoreline of Duck, North Carolina, and slightly reduce the acidity of the Atlantic Ocean, according to the startup.
“The Duck community is now at the forefront of developing an approach that could help protect coastal communities worldwide from rising sea levels while addressing the root cause of climate change,” Tom Green, the co-founder and CEO of Vesta, said in a press release.
