- Mitsubishi Corporation partners with Alt Carbon to expand Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) technology for carbon removal across South Asia.
- Alt Carbon aims to remove 5 million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2030 through its Darjeeling Revival Project.
- This collaboration strengthens Mitsubishi’s decarbonisation portfolio, advancing carbon removal technologies like ERW.
Mitsubishi Corporation has partnered with Alt Carbon to expand carbon dioxide removal using Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) technology across South Asia. This collaboration targets the growing demand for carbon removal credits by deploying this mineral-based solution.
ERW involves spreading crushed basalt rock over farmland. The interaction between the rock and rainwater triggers a chemical reaction that captures atmospheric CO2, storing it as dissolved carbon in the soil. The carbon then moves through river networks to the ocean, which remains locked for over 10,000 years.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recognises ERW as a credible tool to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Alt Carbon aims to become a leading player in carbon removal in the Global South, with scientists from the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and the Darjeeling Climate Action Lab supporting its efforts.
Alt Carbon became the first Indian company to secure a prepurchase agreement from Frontier, a coalition that includes Stripe, Shopify, Alphabet, Meta, and Watershed. Frontier, which committed $1 billion to permanent carbon removal by 2030, provided Alt Carbon with an initial $500,000 to fund certified carbon removal.
Alt Carbon plans to implement its technology across 500,000 hectares of farmland in India’s Darjeeling region as part of the “Darjeeling Revival Project.” The project seeks to remove up to 5 million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2030. In the long term, the company aims to achieve gigatonne-scale removal each year by expanding across South Asia.
This partnership fits with Mitsubishi Corporation’s strategy to grow its decarbonisation portfolio. Tadashi Sawamura, General Manager of Mitsubishi’s Carbon Management Department, emphasised the importance of this collaboration, stating, “MC remains committed to advancing carbon removal technologies like ERW.”
By partnering with Alt Carbon, Mitsubishi Corporation strengthens its position in the global carbon management sector, driving decarbonisation through innovative technologies.