Microsoft secures carbon capture deal with rocks

UNDO, a developer of enhanced rock weathering (ERW) carbon removal projects, has announced a new agreement with Microsoft to permanently remove 28,900 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere by 2036. This will be achieved through an accelerated natural process involving rocks and soil.

Established in 2022, the London-based company specialises in carbon removal projects using enhanced rock weathering. Their technology accelerates the natural geological process by distributing crushed silicate rock onto agricultural land. This process utilises plants and soil microbes to expedite weathering, capturing CO2 and enriching the soil with essential nutrients. UNDO recently won $5 million in the XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition, which aims to foster gigaton-scale carbon dioxide removal solutions.

This agreement is the third collaboration between Microsoft and UNDO, following previous deals in 2022 and 2023, and brings their combined commitment to nearly 49,000 tonnes of ERW-based carbon removal. Microsoft is a leading corporate buyer of carbon removal credits, with purchases exceeding 30 million tonnes, according to the carbon dioxide removals platform CDR.fyi.

Phillip Goodman, Director of the Carbon Removal Portfolio at Microsoft, stated, “Enhanced rock weathering is a promising pathway to gigatonne-scale carbon removal. UNDO’s commitment to scientific rigour gives us confidence in both the durability of these credits and their role in helping Microsoft achieve its goal of being carbon negative by 2030.”

The agreement involves spreading 90,000 tonnes of crushed wollastonite across farmland in Canada. Wollastonite, a calcium-silicate mineral, helps neutralise soil acidity and enhance fertility due to its high calcium content, while its silicon content promotes plant health alongside its carbon capture capabilities.

UNDO’s new deal with Microsoft is supported by debt financing from the Canadian climate fund Inlandsis, designed to provide the capital necessary for the project and to expand high-integrity ERW projects globally.

Jim Mann, Founder and CEO of UNDO, commented, “Innovative financing is the catalyst for unlocking gigatonne-scale carbon removal. The support of Inlandsis shows how financial backers can help transform carbon removal into a genuine asset class – one that is scalable, tradable, and investable.”

David Moffat, Managing Director at Inlandsis, added, “Inlandsis is very pleased to provide capital to this strategic and innovative deal, helping to strengthen the growing relationship between Microsoft and UNDO while advancing the critical fight against climate change.”