Earth’s oceans hold the key to a healthy planet. Claudia Benitez-Nelson, a Carolina Distinguished faculty member and ocean researcher, is joining the global mission to store greenhouse gases in the ocean to lessen climate change, thanks to support from a $4.8 million grant from the Department of Energy. 

Why it matters: Scientists and industry leaders from around the world are exploring ways to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. A process called mCDR, or marine carbon dioxide removal, effectively stores C02 by way of the ocean’s natural mechanisms. 

The grant is part of a national initiative by the Department of Energy to explore options for the long-term storage of fossil fuel-produced gas and support developing the marine carbon dioxide removal industry. 

How it works: Benitez-Nelson is part of a team that is developing autonomous sensors to evaluate how quickly CO2 sinks from the ocean’s surface to the deep ocean. This information will inform how developers will approach CO2 removal, which has the potential to extract hundreds of millions to billions of tons of heat-trapping gas per year. 

The key is developing a sensor that can withstand the corrosive effects of saltwater. The project aims to produce a sensor within the next three years. 

Who’s helping: The project involves the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the MITRE Corporation. Benitez-Nelson will contribute to sample collection and sensor development. 

What they’re saying: 

“Climate change is a global issue that is increasingly impacting our daily lives – from record setting temperatures to increased flooding from our local rivers and along our coasts. Removal of CO2 from the atmosphere will mitigate some of those impacts. We need to act now,” says Benitez-Nelson.