The Carbon Curve

Episode 32 is with Na’im Merchant and Rahima Dosani.Building off of the special episode they did a year ago, Na’im and Rahima are back to reflect on all things carbon removal in 2023 and what’s in store for 2024. They also get into launching Carbon Removal Canada, the role Canada can play in scaling carbon removal (CDR), managing changing professional demands, and other personal questions that Na’im was clearly not prepared for!We hope you enjoy the episode and wish everyone a happy 2024!About Rahima DosaniRahima Dosani is the Director of Strategy, Learning, and Innovation at Global Health Visions, a woman-owned and operated company helping to improve access to global health products and services in low-income countries. She previously worked for the Center for Innovation and Impact at USAID and the Clinton Health Access Initiative in Myanmar and Malawi after doing strategy consulting in New York City. Rahima holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA from the Harvard Business School, and a masters in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health. She spends her spare time teaching yoga and being a private chef, and recently graciously agreed to relocate to Toronto, Canada with Na’im.Special note: A huge thanks to Tank Chen for his support with The Carbon Curve podcast over the last few months and I’m excited about the next set of episodes we’re working on together. If you’re interested in collaborating with a brilliant and dedicated individual on your carbon removal company or project, do reach out to him on LinkedIn!This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely Na’im Merchant’s and do not reflect those of any other individual or entity.Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com

Episode 31 is with Paul Needham, CEO of Arca.Today Na’im speaks with Paul Needham about the potential for accelerated carbon mineralization using mine waste as a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) method to decarbonize mining. Mining will play a huge role in the energy transition given the huge need of critical metals - and CDR can help ensure it’s done in a net-zero fashion.Arca is working to stop - and reverse - climate change by capturing carbon dioxide from the air and transforming it into rock, where it is safely stored forever. Co-founded by Professor Greg Dipple and other geoscientists from the University of British Columbia, Arca has developed technologies that accelerate a natural geochemical process called carbon mineralization. Arca works with producers of critical metals, such as nickel, repurposing mine waste to deploy industrial-scale carbon dioxide removal solutions.Arca just announced a partnership with BHP, one of the world’s largest producers of nickel for the EV industry, to launch the world’s first accelerated carbon mineralization project at an active nickel mine in Western Australia. The company’s technology has been recognized with a $1 million XPRIZE Milestone Award for Carbon Dioxide Removal. About Paul NeedhamPaul is a multi-time company founder and CEO, with three exits. Paul serves as board member to a venture fund that invests in African clean energy entrepreneurs, and is Senior Advisor to the D-REC Organization which is accelerating investment in clean energy in developing countries. Paul co-founded, built, and sold India’s largest rooftop solar leasing company, providing access to clean energy to at least 250,000 people in rural India. Paul has a Masters Degree in Development Economics from the University of Cambridge and is now CEO of Arca, the carbon mineralization company.In this episode, Na’im and Paul discuss:* Paul’s journey into carbon removal and Arca’s founding history, from its academic roots to becoming a CDR company;* The clean energy paradox;* The science behind Arca’s approach;* Arca’s solution to help the mining industry decarbonize;* The process of partnering with mining companies;* Arca’s role in mining industry’s objective to decarbonize;* Arca’s partnership with BHP;* Arca’s technologies in development around measurement and verification and their methodology;* Ways in which government around the world could support CDR; and* The company’s current and future priorities.Relevant Links:* Arca’s partnership with BHP to launch a new pilot project at BHP’s Mt Keith Nickel West mine in Australia* Arca’s People Page* Arca’s LinkedIn page* Arca’s Dr. Greg Dipple and Paul Needham on This Is CDR [Webinar]* Arca winning the XPRIZE Milestone Award for Carbon Dioxide Removal* BC Centre for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE)This episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.Tank Chen is a carbon removal advocate based in Taiwan whose focus is on communicating the importance of CDR to policy makers, corporate leaders, and the broader public through education, communications, and policy advocacy.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com

Episode 30 is with Bilha Ndirangu, CEO of Great Carbon Valley.Today Na’im speaks with Bilha Ndirangu. Bilha is the CEO of Great Carbon Valley. She is also the co-founder of Jacob’s Ladder Africa, a non-profit focused on green workforce preparation.  In this and other roles, she is at the intersection of climate action, technology, and education, positioning Africa as an investment destination for the green economy, identifying and scaling relevant technologies, and preparing its youth to provide the requisite skills mix. She has had previous roles as CEO of the African Leadership Academy and CEO of Africa’s Talking (a communications technology company), where she expanded the company into 20 markets in African countries. She also worked at Dalberg, where she helped launch the Nairobi office. Bilha holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from MIT and is a Yale Emerging Climate Leaders Fellow.Great Carbon Valley (GCV) is a systems integrator and project development company working to harness the abundant resources of the Great Rift Valley towards the global decarbonization efforts by developing large scale green industry and carbon removals projects. GCV aims to develop comprehensive DACS-anchored industrial parks that serve as complete solutions for energy-intensive businesses, enabling them to operate with enhanced efficiency and achieving net zero targets. GCV is seeking and working with a network of actors, including energy developers, Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology ventures, carbon storage providers, green industries, and project financiers, to develop the hubs. Earlier this year, GCV announced a partnership with Climeworks to explore development of large-scale direct air capture and storage projects in Kenya.In this episode, Na’im and Bilha discuss:* The mission and vision of Great Carbon Valley;* Attributes that make Kenya and East Africa ideal for hosting carbon removal projects;* The political wil behind carbon removal in Kenya and the potential political leaders see;* The employment and innovation opportunities that could come out of Africa;* Policies that will support industrial-scale carbon removal in East Africa;* Challenges and opportunities in attracting companies to build up the ecosystem in Kenya; and* The biggest disconnect in conversations around scaling carbon removal solutions between Europe, North America, and Africa.Relevant Links:* Envisioning African CDR Innovation with Bilha Ndirangu, Great Carbon Valley - Carbon Removal Africa Webinar* Africa’s Great Carbon Valley - TED Talk by James Mwangi* Climeworks and Great Carbon Valley chart path to large-scale direct air capture and storage deployment in KenyaThis episode was created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Tank Chen.Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.Tank Chen is a carbon removal advocate based in Taiwan whose focus is on communicating the importance of CDR to policy makers, corporate leaders, and the broader public through education, communications, and policy advocacy.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via LinkedIn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com

Anna Stukas, VP of Business Development at Carbon Engineering, discusses how direct air capture is helping decarbonize aviation. Topics include Carbon Engineering's efforts, challenges of decarbonizing aviation, importance of investing in direct air capture technology, role of DAC in the carbon removal industry, scaling up carbon removal, and partnership with Oxi for the aviation sector.

In this episode, Marty Odlin, Founder and CEO of Running Tide, talks about carbon removal's 'victory conditions' and the need for public engagement. They discuss urban carbon removal, barriers and solutions for carbon removal, the role of policy and government in carbon removal, and the significance of the UN high seas treaty for ocean carbon dioxide removal.

Sebastian Manhart, a Senior Policy Advisor at Carbonfuture and Board Chair of DVNE, discusses the EU's policy developments in carbon removal, focusing on direct air capture vs. newer methods. He compares the EU's approach to the US, highlights Germany's leadership, and emphasizes the need for a distinct carbon removal strategy and measurement system.

Episode 26 is with Rahul Shendure, CEO of CarbonBuilt.There are many different storage pathways for carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere.One storage medium that we don't talk about enough is storage of CO2 in long-lived products like concrete. Storing CO2 in concrete not only helps solve the CO2 storage problem - especially for smaller, modular carbon removal deployments - but helps decarbonize a very carbon intense product.My guest today, Rahul Shendure, leads a company that is developing ultra low carbon concrete that is coming off the production line today and demonstrates the exciting potential for integrating carbon removal technologies alongside other decarbonization technologies in existing industrial processes.Rahul Shendure is a serial entrepreneur and investor focused on sustainability and health. He is the CEO of CarbonBuilt, whose technology enables the production of ultra-low carbon concrete, reducing emissions by 70-100%. He previously served as Co-Founder and CEO at Bellwether Bio, whose acquisition by Guardant Health led to the launch of the first blood-based colorectal cancer screening test. Rahul’s earlier engineering and commercial roles span a wide range of climate-related industries ranging from plastics (GE), hydrogen fuel cells (Ballard Power Systems), renewable fuels and chemicals (Amyris) and next generation renewable electricity (Oscilla Power). Rahul earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from MIT and received his MBA from Harvard Business School.CarbonBuilt, winner of the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE, enables concrete manufacturers to produce ultra-low carbon concrete products with 70-100% less embodied carbon. CarbonBuilt’s technology replaces most of the expensive, high-carbon Portland cement typically used during concrete manufacturing with a proprietary low-cost cement alternative made from widely-available low carbon materials. These materials harden after chemically reacting with CO2, to not only strengthen the blocks, but also permanently store the CO2 in solid form, diverting it from the atmosphere. Because it can be cost-effectively installed at existing concrete manufacturing plants and delivers products that meet ASTM C90 and other applicable industry standards without increasing costs, CarbonBuilt’s technology can be rapidly adopted by the nearly 800 concrete plants in the U.S. alone. In this episode, Na’im and Rahul discuss:* Concrete and its carbon footprint;* CarbonBuilt’s technology for producing ultra-low carbon concrete;* The distinction between emissions avoidance and removal both in CarbonBuilt’s technology as well as its credit system;* CarbonBuilt’s commercial partnership with Blair Block;* CarbonBuilt’s participation in the Four Corners Carbon Coalition’s first project;* Barriers to scaling low carbon concrete technology and the role of policy in addressing these barriers.Relevant Links:* CarbonBuilt* CarbonBuilt and Blair Block commercial partnership* Four Corners Carbon Coalition* CarbonBuilt and Four Corners Coalition* Paving the Way for Low-Carbon Concrete: Recommendations for a Federal Procurement Strategy* Concrete: Square one for scaling distributed direct air capture?Special note:I'm looking for someone to support the production, editing, and promotion of this podcast. I’m looking for someone who is passionate about carbon removal, who can help brainstorm guest ideas, develop thought provoking interview questions, schedule and join recordings, edit recordings, write up the show notes, and promote the episode on various channels.It's an important job and an exciting opportunity to plug into the carbon removal field. This is a fully remote contract position starting October 1st amounting to about 8 to 10 hours of work per episode. You don't need to be an expert in podcasting. I certainly wasn't when I started. Just a lot of passion, diligence, organization, and a willingness to learn. If you're interested, send an email to naim@carboncurve.co with your resume and a letter of interest by September 15th.This podcast is created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Lucia Simonelli.Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via Twitter and LinkedIn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com

Jack Andreasen and Dr. Claire Nelson discuss geologic storage of CO2, its potential and challenges. They highlight the importance of financial incentives and long-term policy support for scaling up carbon storage. They also explore the federal permitting process in the US and the need for well-regulated states. Additionally, they touch on alternative storage technologies and the potential of Kenya for durable carbon removal.

Episode 24 is with Professor Gregory Nemet, a Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the La Follette School of Public Affairs and Convener of the State of CDR report.Today Na’im speaks with Professor Gregory Nemet to learn more about the current state of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) globally, the varying magnitudes of carbon removal needed by midcentury as they correspond to different decarbonization scenarios, and the gap between the amount of carbon removal needed and the amount countries are planning to deploy. Greg Nemet is a convener of the State of CDR report - the first comprehensive global assessment of the current state of CDR. It describes the gap between how much CDR countries are planning to deploy and what is needed in scenarios to meet Paris climate goals. It finds that the size of the “CDR gap” differs across scenarios, depending on how the global economy is transformed to achieve net-zero emissions. It also finds that there are currently few plans by countries to scale CDR above current levels, exposing a substantial shortfall - which we’ll get into today.About Prof. Gregory NemetGregory Nemet is a Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the La Follette School of Public Affairs.  He teaches courses in policy analysis, energy systems, and international environmental policy.  Nemet's research focuses on understanding the process of technological change and the ways in which public policy can affect it.  He received his doctorate in energy and resources from the University of California, Berkeley. His A.B. is in geography and economics from Dartmouth College.  He received an Andrew Carnegie Fellowship in 2017 and used it to write a book on how solar PV provides lessons for the development of other low-carbon technologies: “How Solar Energy Became Cheap: A Model for Low-Carbon Innovation” (Routledge 2019).  He was awarded the inaugural World Citizen Prize in Environmental Performance by APPAM in 2019.  He is currently a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 6th Assessment Report.In this episode, Na’im and Greg discuss:* Past emerging technologies such as ammonia and solar PV that can serve as useful analogues to carbon removal;* The varying magnitudes of carbon removal needed by midcentury as they correspond to different decarbonization scenarios;* The gap between the amount of carbon removal needed and the amount countries are planning to deploy;* The urgency of investing in carbon removal in the next 10-15 years to ensure that we reach the needed scale by midcentury;* Trends and gaps across academic literature on carbon removal;* The importance of public perception and acceptance of carbon removal;* What comes next after the State of CDR Report.Relevant Links:* How Solar Became Cheap: A Model for Low-Carbon Innovation* State of CDR Report* Follow Professor Greg Nemet on LinkedIn and TwitterThis podcast is created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Lucia Simonelli.Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via Twitter and LinkedIn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com

Episode 23 of The Carbon Curve is with Dr. Julio Friedman (Chief Scientist at Carbon Direct), James Mwangi (Co-Founder and CEO of Africa Climate Ventures), Ugbaad Kosar (Director of Environmental Justice at Carbon180), and Marcius Extavour (Chief Climate Solutions Officer at TIME CO2). This episode was recorded from the 2023 Direct Air Capture Summit hosted by Climeworks on June 6, 2023.A couple of weeks ago, I attended the 2023 Direct Air Capture (DAC) Summit hosted by Climeworks and had the chance to moderate a discussion on setting up policy frameworks for scaling up carbon removal.The summit attracted 400 participants in person and thousands more online. It has become a central convening of DAC and carbon removal experts from around the world. As I stand up a new initiative aimed at scaling carbon removal in Canada, the sessions and networking provided useful insights on where the industry is going, the opportunities on the horizon, and challenges we should expect to contend with. I personally came away from the event re-energized about the prospects of DAC and carbon removal more broadly.The team at Climeworks did a great job organizing and hosting this event, and they worked with me to facilitate a handful of interviews live from the event venue with leaders in the carbon removal field to discuss their reflections from the summit and what is energizing them at this important juncture of this new industry. I had a chance to speak with:* Dr. Julio Friedmann, Chief Scientist at Carbon Direct (LinkedIn, Twitter)* James Mwangi, Co-Founder and CEO of Africa Climate Ventures (LinkedIn, Twitter)* Link to: Africa Climate Summit 2023* Ugbaad Kosar, Director of Environmental Justice at Carbon180 (LinkedIn, Twitter)* Dr. Marcius Extavour, Chief Climate Solutions Officer at TIME CO2 (LinkedIn, Twitter)I think the substance of these conversations reveal some valuable themes coming out of the event itself that I hope will be orienting and enlightening as we navigate this rapidly growing sector.This podcast is created and published by Na’im Merchant. Episode production and content support provided by Lucia Simonelli.Na’im Merchant is the co-founder and Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada, a policy initiative focused on scaling carbon removal in Canada. He is also a policy fellow with Elemental Excelerator. He previously ran carbon removal consulting practice Carbon Curve, and publishes The Carbon Curve newsletter and podcast. Every two weeks, Na’im will release a short interview with individuals advancing the policies, technologies, and collective action needed to scale up carbon removal around the world.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app or subscribe via The Carbon Curve newsletter here. If you’d like to get in touch with Na’im, you can reach out via Twitter and LinkedIn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carboncurve.substack.com