Tackling the technological, environmental, legal, and economic challenges of ocean alkalinity enhancement: A case study from the Baltic sea

Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) is a possible climate mitigation technology that can remove CO 2 from the atmosphere. Here, we studied the feasibility of OAE in a case study using serpentinite gangue and examined the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) potential, the legal requirements, and the economic viability. The carbon emission factor was estimated to stay below 70 kg CO 2 e t −1 CO 2 removed. Permitting would require the risks for marine ecosystems at the site to be carefully considered. Under the assumptions of this case study, OAE would require CDR credit prices higher than 100 € t −1 CO 2 removed to be economically viable. Commitments of public and private actors to buy OAE credits would reduce market uncertainty and could be a way to promote OAE if the environmental impacts are acceptable.

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Publication Details

Journal
iScience
Published
2026-07-30
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.116928
Primary Topic
CO2 Sequestration and Geologic Interactions
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Tackling the technological, environmental, legal, and economic challenges of ocean alkalinity enhancement: A case study from the Baltic sea

Carolin R. Löscher, Ulf Riebesell, Jáchym Judl, Kristian Spilling et al.
iScience
CO2 Sequestration and Geologic Interactions
article

Tackling the technological, environmental, legal, and economic challenges of ocean alkalinity enhancement: A case study from the Baltic sea

Carolin R. Löscher, Ulf Riebesell, Jáchym Judl, Kristian Spilling, Tuukka Mäkelä, Sonja Lavikko, Jari Silander, Anu Lähteenmäki-Uutela, Markus Latvala
article en

Abstract

Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) is a possible climate mitigation technology that can remove CO 2 from the atmosphere. Here, we studied the feasibility of OAE in a case study using serpentinite gangue and examined the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) potential, the legal requirements, and the economic viability. The carbon emission factor was estimated to stay below 70 kg CO 2 e t −1 CO 2 removed. Permitting would require the risks for marine ecosystems at the site to be carefully considered. Under the assumptions of this case study, OAE would require CDR credit prices higher than 100 € t −1 CO 2 removed to be economically viable. Commitments of public and private actors to buy OAE credits would reduce market uncertainty and could be a way to promote OAE if the environmental impacts are acceptable.

iScienceVol. 29(8)
Statistics Finland (FI), Geological Survey of Finland (FI), National Bureau of Investigation (FI), University of Southern Denmark (DK), University of Agder (NO), Finnish Environment Institute (FI), GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (DE)
Academy of Finland, Suomen Ympäristökeskus
Climate action
Openalex Percentile: Top 15%
CO2 Sequestration and Geologic Interactions
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