Coastal Enhanced Weathering From the Beach to the Lab: Preliminary Results and a Roadmap to Large Scale Deployment

Abstract:

Enhanced Weathering on land shares a conceptual framework with Coastal Enhanced Weathering (CEW), as both use the breakdown of minerals to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and have potential for large-scale carbon sequestration. Instead of basaltic minerals applied in soil, CEW applies minerals like olivine in the coastal environment, which accelerates the weathering rate by taking advantage of wave energy for efficient mechanical activation. Concept studies have shown that the abundant mineral olivine is an ideal silicate for carbon dioxide removal in the coastal environment. Both processes share similar challenges and uncertainty in terms of weathering rates, logistical complexity, and potential environmental risks. While the mechanism of action has been demonstrated in the lab, research is still needed to establish in situ weathering rates and detect environmental effects of olivine application in coastal environments, particularly with integrated scales from organisms to global systems. We present initial results from laboratory experiments on olivine weathering rates and the ecotoxicology of olivine on a range of organism types, and propose a comprehensive research roadmap to fill the remaining knowledge gaps that are necessary to assess the large-scale feasibility of CEW with olivine for safe and effective carbon dioxide removal. We also introduce a CEW research station to the scientific community, which will facilitate additional inquiry into the geochemical and environmental effects of coastal enhanced weathering with olivine.