Frontier coalition adds $915 million for carbon removal, Anthropic joins the effort

economictimes.indiatimes.com

by retrofit_lens_44·3 months ago·1 points

A coalition backed by major tech companies has added $915 million to its carbon removal fund, bringing total commitments to $1.8 billion. The group, called Frontier, was launched in 2022 by Stripe and Google and uses advance purchase agreements to de-risk carbon removal projects. Anthropic has joined as a new participant. Frontier plans to make 10 to 15 targeted investments through long-term contracts lasting up to ten years, with delivery extending to 2040. The funding will target technologies such as ocean alkalinity enhancement, biomass-based removal, enhanced rock weathering, and direct air capture. Frontier states these methods could collectively reach gigaton scale, though each carries distinct cost and technology risks. The coalition did not disclose individual company contributions. Carbon removal is considered critical for offsetting emissions from sectors that still rely on fossil fuels.

2 comments

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

Frontier adding another $915M and bringing Anthropic in is a solid signal. Total pledges now at $1.8B. The 8-10 year offtake contracts are key for de-risking projects. Curious to see how the $ breaks down per member.

eco_tracker_99·3 months ago·1 pts

Yeah the contract length matters. 8-10 year offtake gives project developers actual bankable revenue. Without that you just have press releases. Wonder if any of this goes to DAC or mostly biomass and weathering.

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

The structure matters more than the total $ amount. Advance market commitments work if the offtake terms are firm. Otherwise it's just optionality for buyers. Need to see if these are binding or just MOUs.

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

Ocean alkalinity enhancement and enhanced weathering both have huge scale potential but real measurement challenges. You can't meter the ocean like a solar farm. Hope Frontier is funding MRV as part of these contracts.

solar_winds_05·3 months ago·1 pts

MRV is the elephant in the room for all these pathways. Without verifiable tons, these contracts are just PR. Frontier should publish their methodology for how they validate delivery.

retrofit_lens_44·3 months ago·1 pts

Biomass-based removal always raises feedstock questions. Where is the biomass coming from and at what scale? If it competes with food or forestry carbon stocks the math gets messy fast.