Enhanced Rock Weathering in Soil
Accelerating a natural process to remove carbon and reverse climate change
What Is Enhanced Rock Weathering?
Natural rock weathering is a geological process that removes around 1.1 Gt of CO₂ from the atmosphere per year. As silicate rocks weather, they capture carbon from the atmosphere permanently, but it happens at extremely slow rates over tens of thousands of years. Enhanced rock weathering (ERW) is a process that fast-tracks the natural process of carbon removal.
The world’s first carbon crediting methodology for Enhanced Rock Weathering
Standing true to our reputation as the world’s leading carbon removal platform for engineered carbon removal, Puro.earth has developed the first enhanced rock weathering (ERW) carbon crediting methodology. Under the Puro Standard, we issue CO₂ Removal Certificates (CORCs) to carbon removal suppliers through the Puro Registry. Climate-conscious companies can purchase CORCs to neutralize their residual emissions and support their sustainability claims.
Enhanced Rock Weathering: A Solution for Combating Climate Change
Scalability
The resources required for ERW such as rock types and application surfaces are abundant across the globe and rock mining, grinding, and spreading are established technologies that provide significant carbon removal potential at a global scale.
Permanence of 1000+ years
ERW is among the most permanent forms of carbon removal, with 1000+ years of storage, with little risk of reversal
Turning waste into carbon removal
Residual rocks from other established industrial operations such as quarry operations, can be used beneficially for ERW, essentially turning a waste product into carbon removal
Impact beyond carbon removal
ERW offers several positive co-benefits, particularly in agriculture, including enhancing agricultural productivity, restoring degraded soils, and reducing the need for fertilizers
How Enhanced Rock Weathering Captures Carbon
The natural rock weathering carbon capture process begins when carbon in the atmosphere is dissolved in rainwater and forms carbonic acid. A chemical reaction occurs when acidic rainwater comes into contact with rocks that contain silicate minerals and carbon is captured and converted into bicarbonate and/or carbonate ions. Over time, the rock break down into small particles and the bicarbonate and/or carbonate ions form part of the soil or are transported by rivers into the oceans, where the carbon is stored for tens of thousands of years.
How Enhanced Rock Weathering Accelerates CO2 Removal
Rock weathering is a natural process that removes carbon from the atmosphere. Enhanced Rock Weathering fast-tracks the carbon removal process that from thousands of years to years-decades by crushing large silicate rocks into fine particles or gathering residual rocks from other processes, such as quarry operations, and applying rocks to soil. ERW can accelerate carbon removal by:
1. Selecting the most reactive rock types,
2. Increasing the surface area of the rock, and
3. Applying rocks to optimal soils and climatic conditions.
Benefits of Enhanced Rock Weathering
Beyond carbon sequestration and the positive impact on the climate, ERW has many positive benefits, particularly for agriculture and the land. The spreading of silicate rocks in soil can:
• Increase crop yield and enhance agricultural productivity
• Amend degraded soils
•
Build plant resistance against pests and diseases Improve crop water retention, potentially increasing crop resilience to drought
•
Reduces the need for fertilizers
Discover the value of your carbon removal activities
Puro.earth is the credible choice for carbon removal suppliers looking to enter the carbon markets
Take your business to net zero emissions
Puro.earth has over 74 carbon removal projects in 17 countries across the world. Neutralize your emissions by purchasing CO2 removal Certificates (CORCS) by connecting with Puro.earth accredited suppliers.
Download our Enhanced Rock Weathering brochure to learn:
•
What is Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW)
• How we accelerate the carbon removal process
• Optimal conditions for accelerating carbon removal
• How the Puro.earth ERW methodology verifies and quantifies carbon removal and other project eligibility requirements under the Puro Standard
• Benefits of ERW beyond carbon sequestration
• How to become a ERW supplier or purchase credits
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