Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions, Industrial  -  October 4, 2024

Microsoft Buys ERW Carbon Removal Credits

Microsoft announced it signed a contract for a company to deliver 8,000 tons of permanent CO2 removal.

The tech company signed an agreement with Eion, a carbon removal company turning the proven science of enhanced rock weathering (ERW) into a scalable climate solution.

Along with a group of large farmers in the Mid-Atlantic, Eion will soon deploy olivine — a naturally occurring and abundant mineral the company has optimized to weather quickly — on farmland after the fall harvest. Every ton of carbon removed as part of the purchase will be verified through Eion’s patented direct measurement approach in accordance with third-party standards and verifiers. The removal will be delivered over the course of five years.

Olivine — legally approved for agricultural use for decades — is ideal for ERW because it absorbs a high rate of carbon, and its composition includes various trace elements that enable Eion to accurately measure CO2 removal.

“Eion’s verification methodology, continuous monitoring of environmental conditions, and established history of successfully delivering carbon removal makes them stand apart in ERW,” said Brian Marrs, Senior Director, Energy Markets at Microsoft, in a statement. “We look forward to supporting this important component within the ecosystem of proven climate solutions.”

Eion's direct measurement process uses real-world data to account for how ERW works in the field. Using existing soil sampling practices and standard lab equipment and methods, Eion can uphold scientific rigor while continuously monitoring health and safety. Every soil sample taken by Eion is analyzed for the presence of trace elements, including nickel and chromium which are naturally present in agricultural soils, and benchmarked against the company’s safety guardrails. Informed by verified data and risk exposure models from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), these guardrails enable Eion to be a responsible land steward and trusted partner to farmers and rural communities.

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