Microsoft Inks Deal with Crew Carbon to Scale Wastewater-Based Carbon Removal

Crew Carbon, a water-tech startup launched in 2022 as a Yale University spinout, has signed an offtake agreement with Microsoft for up to 23,602 carbon removal units (CRUs). The technology uses wastewater treatment facilities to accelerate mineral weathering processes that permanently store atmospheric CO2.

Crew Carbon's approach involves strategically sourced alkaline minerals, including calcium carbonate, which optimize conditions like pH and alkalinity within wastewater systems. This process improves biological treatment performance while removing CO2 and superpollutant emissions in a measurable form, utilizing existing industrial infrastructure without extensive permitting or federal support.

According to Crew Carbon, the company's technology is scalable, with wastewater treatment plants processing billions of gallons of water globally each day. Dr. Joachim Katchinoff, CEO and co-founder, stated, 'This agreement with Microsoft is a major milestone for CREW and further validates our approach to delivering high-quality, durable carbon credits while we optimize wastewater treatment performance.'

Microsoft's offtake agreement follows the company's recent Environmental Sustainability Report, which outlined its adapted carbon dioxide removal (CDR) due diligence and contracting approach. The report highlighted Microsoft's shift towards a multi-approach strategy, including pursuing long-term agreements for engineered and nature-based solutions, as well as investing in emerging pathways with smaller purchases to assess viability and scalability.