New Carbon Removal Pilot Begins at Port of Port Angeles

PORT ANGELES — A first-of-its-kind pilot project is now up and running at the Port of Port Angeles.

Ebb Carbon has launched Project Macoma, a temporary installation that uses ocean-based technology to treat seawater and study how it can reduce acid levels while also pulling carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The effort builds on two years of testing at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Sequim.

Scientists say ocean acidification is a growing problem in Washington waters, especially in the Salish Sea. It makes it harder for shellfish and other organisms to form shells, putting pressure on marine food webs and the state’s $270 million shellfish industry that supports more than 3,000 jobs.

“Ebb’s marine carbon dioxide removal approach is one of the most promising pathways for ta