In the fight against climate change, the ability to measure and verify carbon removal effectively has remained a critical challenge. For farmers and climate-conscious organizations, Everest Carbon’s innovative carbon removal measurement sensor offers a groundbreaking solution. This technology drastically cuts monitoring costs by 90%, paving the way for large-scale adoption of Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW), a process where ground rock dust is spread on farmland to trap and convert atmospheric CO₂ into stable carbonate alkalinity in the soil.
The Importance of ERW in Tackling Climate Change
Enhanced Rock Weathering has emerged as a critical tool in combating the climate crisis. By leveraging natural reactions, it not only captures carbon dioxide but also enhances soil health, creating a dual benefit. However, the absence of affordable, accurate, and transparent measurement tools has long hindered its scalability.
“ERW is a critical pathway for the multi-gigaton-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.”
This gap in technology and trust is what Everest Carbon aims to bridge with its patent-pending sensor.
How Everest Carbon’s Sensor Works
Everest Carbon’s advanced sensor measures additional carbonate alkalinity generated through ERW directly in the field. The device employs an innovative ion exchange resin that selectively absorbs carbonate alkalinity as water passes through the measurement cell. This chemical state is then digitized and transmitted in real-time to the cloud, enabling immediate access to data.
Michel explains,
“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 costs. By eliminating labour-intensive sample collection and lab analysis, we are making ERW monitoring scalable and efficient.”
This revolutionary approach addresses one of the largest barriers to ERW adoption: the cost and complexity of monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV).
Why Real-Time Data Matters
The ability to measure carbon removal in real-time is a breakthrough for the industry. Historically, carbon credit buyers and stakeholders have demanded rigorous transparency, but existing methods have struggled to deliver reliable data.
Max Zeller, Founding Partner of Carbon Removal Partners, remarked, “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. A live feed of measurement data provides unprecedented transparency and measurement scalability, digitising reporting and eliminating the need for labour-intensive lab sampling.”
This transparency is vital for building trust in carbon credits, a key component in incentivizing large-scale carbon removal initiatives.
Scaling ERW with Cutting-Edge Technology
Founded in late 2022, Everest Carbon initially operated as an ERW project developer. In just a year, the company pivoted to focus on commercialising its proprietary sensor technology. Co-Founders Pascal Michel, Dr. Matthias Ginterseder and Jonte Boysen Co-Founders have committed to reducing MRV costs by over 90%, positioning ERW as a scalable solution for global carbon removal efforts.
Their sensor’s innovative mechanism allows for precise comparison between treated and untreated fields, providing an accurate, real-time view of CO₂ removal. This ensures the technology aligns with evolving carbon credit standards, which demand reliable, data-driven verification.
Addressing the Climate Crisis with Scalable Solutions
ERW holds immense potential to remove gigatonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Yet, its scalability has remained limited due to cost and technological barriers. Everest Carbon’s sensor addresses these issues head-on, offering a cost-effective, transparent, and scalable alternative.
“By providing trusted, real-time data and significantly lowering measurement costs, Everest is driving the carbon removal industry toward achieving its multi-gigaton potential,” said Michel.
The technology not only benefits farmers by improving soil health but also offers a practical solution for climate-conscious organizations looking to offset their carbon footprint.
Funding to Accelerate Innovation
Everest Carbon has raised $3M to scale its revolutionary sensor technology. This funding will be used to commercialise the world’s first real-time, in-field alkalinity sensor for Enhanced Rock Weathering.
The funding round was backed by Carbon Removal Partners, Ponderosa Ventures, and the Carbon Drawdown Initiative. These investments will enable Everest to overcome a critical bottleneck in the carbon removal industry—accurate and affordable measurement.
The Future of Carbon Removal
With its innovative sensor, Everest Carbon is unlocking a new era of carbon removal. By addressing cost and transparency challenges, the company is not just advancing technology but also contributing to a sustainable future. Enhanced Rock Weathering, once hindered by measurement limitations, is now a viable and scalable solution to the global climate crisis.
Funding Details
Everest Carbon, based in San Francisco, has secured $3M in funding to commercialise its patent-pending sensor technology. Supported by Carbon Removal Partners, Ponderosa Ventures, and Carbon Drawdown Initiative, this funding will accelerate the deployment of real-time, in-field alkalinity sensors for Enhanced Rock Weathering.
This milestone marks a significant step toward making carbon removal scalable, cost-effective, and transparent, addressing a critical need in the fight against climate change.
