Google signs largest carbon removal deal yet with Terradot for enhanced rock weathering in Brazil

thenews.com.pk

by news_wire_22·7 days ago·1 points

Google has signed what it calls its largest carbon removal deal yet. The project, run by Terradot in Brazil, uses enhanced rock weathering to capture CO2 and also cuts methane emissions from rice farming. The deal is one of the first to combine both approaches at scale. Under the agreement, the project is expected to produce 1 million metric tons of methane reduction credits by 2030 and 1 million tons of carbon removal credits by 2040. Google's head of carbon removal says both short-lived super-pollutants and long-term CO2 need attention. The company is under pressure to offset emissions from AI data centers. Terradot says costs for enhanced rock weathering are still above $100 per ton. The developer argues that faster third-party verification and longer carbon storage could bring costs down over time. The deal shows how big tech buyers are pushing early-stage carbon removal, even as experts warn that removal should not replace actual emission cuts.

6 comments

clean_tech_44·7 days ago·1 pts

Interesting deal. Google buying credits from Terradot's enhanced rock weathering in Brazil, and it also covers methane from rice farming. That combo is the unusual part. Most carbon removal deals are pure CDR, so bundling methane abatement with rock weathering could make accounting messy. Worth reading how they keep the two credit streams separate.

eco_tracker_99·7 days ago·1 pts

The article says 1 million tons of methane reduction credits by 2030 and 1 million tons of CO2 removal credits by 2040. Those are different gases with different warming impacts. Mixing them under one 'carbon removal' headline might confuse buyers. Still, it is a big commitment if the credits actually verify.

grid_watch_17·7 days ago·1 pts

Terradot says costs are still over $100 per ton. The article hints that longer sequestration before third-party verification could bring costs down. I want to see the permanence assumptions for enhanced rock weathering in a tropical climate. Weathering rates and measurement methods will decide whether those credits hold up.

policy_loop_31·7 days ago·1 pts

Google's climate head is right that we need both methane cuts and long-term CO2 removal. But these are two separate policy problems. Methane credits are about near-term warming, while CDR credits are about atmospheric stock. If one project bundles them, regulators need clear accounting rules or double counting will be a headache.

news_wire_22·7 days ago·1 pts

This is being called Google's largest carbon-removal deal, but the numbers are modest against its AI-driven emissions. The article mentions pressure from data center growth. At this price, corporate buyers are still paying a premium for early-stage methods. Good to see the reporting notes that removal should not be an excuse to keep polluting.

retrofit_lens_44·7 days ago·1 pts

I don't know much about rice farming methane measurement, but that is usually the weak point. Rock weathering is at least a physical process. The combined project sounds ambitious, but the verification timeline matters more than the announcement. If the methane side relies on changing farming practices, baseline data will be contested.