PHOTO: Rendering of Project Macoma, Ebb Carbon’s marine carbon dioxide removal project in Port Angeles Harbor.
PORT ANGELES — A first-of-its-kind pilot project is now up and running at the Port of Port Angeles.
Ebb Carbon has launched Project Macoma, a temporary installation that uses ocean-based technology to treat seawater and study how it can reduce acid levels while also pulling carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The effort builds on two years of testing at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Sequim.
Scientists say ocean acidification is a growing problem in Washington waters, especially in the Salish Sea. It makes it harder for shellfish and other organisms to form shells, putting pressure on marine food webs and the state’s $270 million shellfish industry that supports more than 3,000 jobs.
“Ebb’s marine carbon dioxide removal approach is one of the most promising pathways for tackling climate change and acidification, but its success depends on proving we can grow it safely and in ways that are responsive to local communities and ecosystems. We’re grateful for the support in Port Angeles, especially from local Tribes, community members, and local, state and federal regulators who have provided input that has shaped this project from the beginning. With Project Macoma, we’re proud to be creating a blueprint for how safe and responsible carbon removal can advance global climate goals while protecting local marine health, ” said Ebb Carbon CEO Ben Tarbell.
The Port Angeles project has already received a first-of-its-kind federal permit allowing alkaline seawater to be returned to the ocean. It’s also highlighted in Washington’s draft Climate Action Plan, which calls carbon removal an essential tool in reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
The pilot will run for two years in Port Angeles Harbor at the Port of Port Angeles’ Terminal 7, just west of the Port Angeles Boat Haven, with results helping determine whether the technology can be scaled up more broadly.