In Fujairah, a pilot project in 2023 successfully mineralized 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) using peridotite rock formations within just 100 days. With plans for expansion, the carbon-to-rock initiative aims to inject over 300 tonnes of CO2 over an extended period to showcase the technology's potential in the UAE.

Fujairah was chosen for this Earthshot prize-winning pilot by 44.01 and ADNOC due to its abundant peridotite, a rock type that naturally reacts with CO2 to mineralize it. At full scale, peridotite mineralization could eliminate billions of tons of carbon emissions, aiding in the decarbonization of key industries and removing CO2 from the atmosphere.

During the initial pilot, operations were powered by renewable energy from Masdar. CO2 was captured from the atmosphere, dissolved in seawater, and injected into peridotite formations deep underground, where it was mineralized, ensuring it could never escape back into the atmosphere. The first phase of the scale-up will build on this process.

Ali Qasem, Director-General of the Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation, highlighted the unique potential of peridotite formations in Fujairah to implement large-scale projects, aiding in carbon footprint reduction and supporting environmental strategies.

44.01, supported by ADNOC and FNRC, is scaling up operations in Fujairah as they compete for the Carbon Removal XPRIZE. The project was named one of the XPRIZE's Top 20 projects in 2024.

Talal Hasan, CEO of 44.01, emphasized the viability of carbon mineralization in the UAE, expressing satisfaction in collaborating to scale up operations and refine the technology towards commercialization.

As part of ADNOC's carbon management strategy, the company aims for a carbon capture capacity of 10 million tonnes per annum by 2030, equivalent to removing over 2 million internal combustion vehicles from the road. ADNOC has committed significant investment towards carbon capture projects, targeting almost 4 mtpa.

The announcement to scale up, in partnership with the Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation (FNRC) and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), was made at ADIPEC in Abu Dhabi.

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