A pioneering climate project on England’s south coast has begun extracting carbon from seawater in an effort to tackle global warming. Known as SeaCURE, the pilot is government-funded and aims to explore a potentially more efficient alternative to air-based carbon capture.
Located in Weymouth behind the Sealife Centre, the facility draws seawater from the English Channel, treats it to release carbon as gas, and then captures that gas for storage. The processed water is neutralized and returned to the sea, where it begins absorbing more CO2 from the atmosphere.
Developed by the University of Exeter and Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the project is testing the viability of ocean-based carbon removal, which could eventually scale to remove billions of tonnes of CO2 annually. Seawater contains up to 150 times more carbon than air, offering a promising resource despite high energy demands.
At its current stage, SeaCURE removes about 100 tonnes of CO2 per year—comparable to a single transatlantic flight—but the vision is to expand with renewable energy at sea to power the process sustainably.
Part of a broader UK initiative supporting 15 carbon capture projects, SeaCURE reflects a growing recognition that reducing emissions alone may not be enough. Removing existing greenhouse gases is now seen as essential for achieving net zero and halting global temperature rise.
Source: Swifteradio.com
