Everest Carbon raises funding to launch the world’s first real-time in-field alkalinity sensor for Enhanced Rock Weathering, revolutionising carbon removal measurement and scaling the solution to address climate change.
Everest Carbon, a San Francisco-based company specialising in carbon removal measurement, has raised $3M to commercialise the world’s first in-field alkalinity sensor for Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW). Backed by Carbon Removal Partners, Ponderosa Ventures, and Carbon Drawdown Initiative, the funding will support the scaling of their innovative technology to tackle a critical challenge in the growing carbon removal industry.
ERW, a process where ground silicate rock is applied to farmland to capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) while improving soil health, is seen as a promising method to address climate change. However, accurately quantifying its impact has been a persistent barrier to scaling the solution. Everest Carbon’s patent-pending sensor offers a breakthrough by providing real-time, in-field measurements, eliminating the need for costly and laborious lab analysis.
A smarter carbon monitoring solution to a growing problem
For farmers and climate-conscious organisations grappling with how to quantify carbon removal while maintaining cost efficiency, Everest Carbon’s carbon removal measurement sensor could be a game-changer. Ground rock dust spread on farmland triggers a natural reaction that converts CO₂ into durably stored carbonate alkalinity. Despite its potential, the industry has long struggled with verifying the effectiveness of these open-system methods.
“ERW is a critical pathway for the multi-gigatonne-per-year carbon removal industry we need to tackle the ongoing climate crisis,” said Pascal Michel, Co-Founder and CEO of Everest Carbon. “The industry has, however, faced a lack of trusted, reliable, and affordable tools to measure and verify ERW removals.”
Everest’s sensor addresses this gap by metering additional carbonate alkalinity generated through ERW directly in the field. “Our patent-pending sensor meters the additional carbonate alkalinity generated through ERW deployments right infield. It leverages a specialised ion exchange resin that selectively absorbs carbonate alkalinity as water traverses its measurement cell, then digitises the system’s chemical state for real-time transmission to the cloud,” Michel explained. “Wrapping well-established material science into a scalable digital sensor will facilitate a new era of independently verifiable, data-driven carbon removals while enabling more than 10x lower measurement cost as we eliminate the need for labour-intensive sample collection and lab analysis.”
Scaling carbon removal ERW with data-driven innovation
ERW’s potential is significant: it combines atmospheric CO₂ capture with soil enhancement. Yet its scalability has been hindered by the absence of accurate measurement tools. Existing methods have struggled to meet the rigorous transparency demanded by carbon removal credit buyers. Everest Carbon’s solution offers a continuous, scalable, and affordable alternative.
“Everest’s sensor is a breakthrough for ERW—for the first time, all stakeholders can get access to real-time, accurate measurements directly from deployment fields,” said Max Zeller, Founding Partner of Carbon Removal Partners. “A live feed of measurement data provides unprecedented transparency and measurement scalability, digitising reporting and eliminating the need for labour-intensive lab sampling. We are delighted to partner with Everest in scaling ERW to address the global climate crisis.”
Paving the way for scalable carbon removal
Everest Carbon’s journey began in late 2022 as an ERW project developer, pivoting a year later to focus on commercialising its proprietary sensor technology. Co-Founders Michel, Dr Matthias Ginterseder, and Jonte Boysen aim to reduce monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) costs by over 90%, making ERW viable at the gigaton scale.
The innovative sensor combines material science with a unique ion exchange resin mechanism, which binds and measures carbonate alkalinity directly in soil water. By comparing treated and untreated fields, the sensor can provide a precise, real-time view of the amount of CO₂ removed from the atmosphere.
Everest’s focus aligns with evolving carbon credit standards, which require accurate and transparent data to support market trust and ensure credibility. With its affordable and scalable approach, the company is set to play a pivotal role in positioning ERW as a central player in global carbon removal efforts.
Unlocking a new era of carbon removal
With its $3M funding, Everest Carbon is poised to scale its technology and make Enhanced Rock Weathering a practical solution for the climate crisis. By providing trusted, real-time data and significantly lowering measurement costs, Everest is driving the carbon removal industry toward achieving its multi-gigaton potential.
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