UCSB-led team evaluates anoxic marine basins for carbon sequestration via plant biomass storage

edhat.com

by news_wire_22·3 months ago·1 points

A UCSB-led international workshop has assessed whether oxygen-free marine basins could safely store plant biomass to reduce atmospheric CO2. The concept, called marine anoxic carbon storage (MACS), involves sinking terrestrial plant waste into anoxic seafloor regions where organic matter can be preserved for centuries without decay. The Black Sea and the Orca Basin in the Gulf of Mexico are among candidate sites. The team published findings in Biogeosciences, concluding that MACS could operate at a climate-relevant scale if logistical, ecological, and governance challenges are addressed. Workshop participants included scientists, startups, policy experts, and NGOs from countries with direct interest in low-oxygen environments. The next steps involve deeper research on transport emissions, water column chemistry impacts, and long-term storage permanence.

2 comments

clean_tech_44·3 months ago·1 pts

Interesting approach. Burying crop waste in oxygen-free basins could lock carbon away for centuries. But the transport emissions from moving biomass to those sites might eat into the net benefit. Would like to see a lifecycle analysis.

eco_tracker_99·3 months ago·1 pts

Good point on transport. The Black Sea is huge and close to agricultural regions in Eastern Europe, so maybe that works. But the Orca Basin in the Gulf is far from major biomass sources. Scale matters.

retrofit_lens_44·3 months ago·1 pts

Also need to think about the biomass supply chain. Agricultural waste is already used for soil amendment or bioenergy in many places. Competing uses could drive up prices or create shortages elsewhere.

grid_watch_17·3 months ago·1 pts

The paper says the workshop concluded it could be meaningful for climate mitigation. But what is the actual storage cost per ton of CO2? Without that number, it is hard to compare with direct air capture or biochar.

policy_loop_31·3 months ago·1 pts

Cost is key, but governance is the bigger hurdle. These basins are in international waters or under multiple national jurisdictions. Who monitors permanence? Who is liable if carbon leaks back? No framework exists yet.