Today, Google announced an agreement to purchase 200.000 tons of carbon removal credits, achieved through CO2 capture in crushed rock and storage in soil, in partnership with enhanced rock weathering (ERW) startup Terradot. Google also announced an equity investment in Terradot.
The deal, with credits available starting in 2029, marks Google’s largest ERW deal to date and its largest purchase of carbon removal credits (CDRs). Google had previously committed to spending at least $35 million on carbon removal credits over the next 12 months.
Google said the partnership will help Terradot improve its ERW technology and promote ERW as a major climate solution that could remove millions of tons of CO2 over the next decade.
Randy Spock, Head of Carbon Credits and Removals at Google, shares:
“To harness advanced rock weathering as a useful tool for CO2 removal, we need to deploy it at scale and measure results rigorously with real-world data. Terradot is well-positioned to do this in a geographic area with great potential, and we are excited to support them in their efforts to achieve Google’s and the planet’s net zero emissions goals.”
Terradot and advanced rock weathering solutions
Founded in 2022 by James Kanoff, Sasankh Munukutl, and Scott Fendorf, Terradot offers a carbon removal solution based on the natural process of rock weathering. It accelerates the trapping of CO2 in rainwater in rock by crushing basalt and spreading it over large areas of agricultural land, while improving soil quality.
Terradot is currently piloting on a large scale in Brazil, where conditions are optimal thanks to tropical soil, a developed agricultural sector, and clean electricity accounting for 93%.
James Kanoff, CEO of Terradot, said:
"ERW has the potential to remove billions of tons of CO2 this decade. To achieve this, we must overcome significant scientific, technical, and operational challenges in a short timeframe. We founded Terradot to address these challenges and turn Earth's natural processes into a global carbon removal solution."
New investments and partnerships
Terradot also announced it has successfully raised $54 million in Series A funding, led by John Doerr, with participation from individual investors such as Sheryl Sandberg, Tom Bernthal, and George Roberts, as well as investment funds from Microsoft, Google, Cisco, and many others.
Sheryl Sandberg commented:
"I have known Terradot CEO James since long before the company was founded. These are incredibly talented leaders in an early-stage startup. They have the right technology, the determination, and the laser focus to succeed. Tom and I are proud to be part of Terradot's mission to combat climate change."
Additionally, Terradot has signed an agreement to supply 90.000 tons of carbon removal credits between 2025 and 2029 to Frontier, a carbon credit purchasing alliance that includes companies such as Stripe, Shopify, McKinsey Sustainability, Autodesk, H&M Group, Workday, and Salesforce, in addition to Google.