Apple’s newest iPhone arrives with more than a new camera and faster performance. Behind the glossy launch of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max is another story: how much carbon it takes to make, ship, and use a smartphone.

At the same time, Apple is pushing recycled materials deeper into the device, using renewable electricity across manufacturing and eliminating landfill waste at established final assembly supplier sites.

iPhone 18 Pro’s Carbon Footprint Starts at 63 kg

Apple calculates the iPhone 18 Pro’s footprint using a life-cycle assessment covering the device, components, packaging, and in-box accessories.

Its latest product environmental report puts a number on that footprint. Depending on the storage configuration, an iPhone 18 Pro generates between 63 kg and 109 kg of gross greenhouse gas emissions over its modeled life. For the Pro Max, the range is 69 kg to 114 kg.

The footprint rises with storage capacity.

They say production is the biggest source of emissions, accounting for 46% of the 256GB iPhone 18 Pro footprint. Non-electricity-related production, including materials and processes, accounts for 17%, while electricity contributes 29%.

Transportation represents 3%, customer use 13%, infrastructure for renewable energy generation 1%, and end-of-life processing less than 1%.

That breakdown shows why Apple is focusing so heavily on materials and supplier electricity rather than just making the phone itself more energy efficient.

40% Recycled Content Goes Inside the New iPhone

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max contain 40% recycled content by mass, excluding packaging and accessories. This time, the company has also increased the use of recycled materials across individual components:

Apple says recycled materials generally have a lower carbon footprint than newly mined materials, making material recovery an important part of its product decarbonization strategy. Here’s the snapshot of the sustainable materials packed inside its latest gadget:

50% of Manufacturing Electricity Comes From Renewables

Apple says 50% of the manufacturing electricity allocated to the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max comes from renewable energy.

That includes electricity procured by Apple or its suppliers through Apple’s Supplier Clean Energy Program. The company is ultimately working toward moving suppliers to 100% renewable electricity.

• The phones also use 60% less energy than the applicable U.S. Department of Energy efficiency standard, according to Apple.

The 20W USB-C power adapter used for the models has measured efficiency of 87.4% at 100V, 88.0% at 115V and 87.8% at 230V. Its no-load power consumption is 0.04W across all three voltage levels.

Less Waste, More Fiber

Apple says all established final assembly supplier sites for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max have been independently validated as Zero Waste to Landfill.

Under UL’s standard, suppliers need to divert at least 90% of waste away from landfill, with higher diversion rates qualifying for Gold and Platinum designations.

Packaging is also 100% fiber-based and uses recycled or responsibly sourced fibers.

The company is pairing that with stricter chemical controls. Final assembly suppliers must use safer cleaners and degreasers based on methodologies such as ChemFORWARD, GreenScreen and the U.S. EPA Safer Choice program.

Apple also says its materials, accessories and packaging are covered by its Regulated Substances Specification and that it conducts toxicological assessments of materials that have prolonged skin contact.

Apple’s Bigger Emissions Problem

The iPhone footprint is only one piece of Apple’s climate story.

According to Apple’s 2026 Environmental Progress Report, the company’s 2025 gross greenhouse gas emissions were about 15.3 million metric tons of CO2e, while net emissions after offsets were 14.5 million tons. It estimated that its environmental programs avoided 43 million metric tons of emissions in 2025.

Notably, product manufacturing accounted for 53% of Apple’s gross footprint

Apple says its gross emissions are down more than 60% from 2015, even though revenue has increased 78% over the same period. Its 2030 goal is to reduce value-chain emissions by 75% from the 2015 baseline before addressing the remaining emissions.

The company’s environmental programs avoided an estimated 43 million tons of emissions in 2025, including:

• 26 million tons from supplier clean energy
• 7 million tons from direct emissions abatement
• 6 million tons from low-carbon materials
• 2 million tons from supplier energy efficiency.

                                          Apple’s Emissions Data

• SEE MORE: Apple’s 2026 Environmental Report: 30% Recycled Materials Shows a Milestone in Circular Manufacturing

Apple Stock (AAPL) Rises as the iPhone 18 Pro Hits Stores

Apple shares closed at about $315.34 on September 9, according to market data reported after the launch. By September 11, shares had reached $332.27, representing a roughly 5.4% increase from the September 9 close.

On September 17, Apple shares closed at $337, according to market reporting, after gaining 1.4% that day as the phones approached their retail launch.

As trading began on September 18, AAPL was around $337, putting the stock roughly 7% above its September 9 closing level.

The market reaction, however, is being driven primarily by expectations around demand, pricing, and the premium iPhone mix rather than Apple’s environmental credentials. Early reports said carrier trade-in offers of as much as $1,200 were helping support demand for the new Pro models.

The Bigger Sustainability Test Is the Supply Chain

Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro shows how sustainability is becoming embedded in product design rather than treated as a separate corporate initiative.

More recycled metals, renewable electricity, fiber packaging, lower energy use, and supplier waste controls can all reduce the footprint of each device.

But Apple’s own numbers also show the scale of the challenge. Manufacturing remains the largest part of the iPhone’s carbon footprint, while product manufacturing and product use together account for 80% of Apple’s broader gross footprint.

The iPhone 18 Pro may therefore be greener by design, but Apple’s bigger climate challenge is making those improvements meaningful across hundreds of millions of devices and a global supply chain.

That is where the company’s 2030 target will ultimately be tested.

• FURTHER READING: Apple (AAPL Stock) Revenue Hits Record as Carbon-Neutral Goal Moves Closer

The post Apple (AAPL) Stock Climbs as iPhone 18 Pro Goes Greener. Can 40% Recycled Content Reduce Its Carbon Footprint? appeared first on Carbon Credits.

The top U.S. battery developer Factorial Energy (Nasdaq: FAC) is bringing in a major Japanese materials company as it works to take its solid-state battery technology from advanced testing to commercial production.

It recently announced a strategic partnership with Japan’s Mitsui Kinzoku Company to support industrializing its Solstice all-solid-state battery platform.

The deal brings together two different pieces of the battery puzzle. Factorial focuses on cell design and manufacturing processes, while Mitsui Kinzoku brings its experience in sulfide-based solid electrolytes.

Siyu Huang, CEO of Factorial, noted:

“Battery innovation can’t be done by one single company. It’s driven by the entire supply chain and, increasingly, by an entire industry coalition. Mitsui Kinzoku’s foundational electrolyte technology brings critical materials expertise to our work to move Solstice toward commercial deployment. We’re not just building a battery. We’re building the connective thread that helps the whole industry move forward together.”

Mitsui Kinzoku Brings Materials Expertise

Factorial will continue to lead the Solstice platform as a fabless battery technology company. Its work covers cell design, process development, supply-chain qualification, production-line integration, and manufacturing validation.

Mitsui Kinzoku will contribute its expertise in advanced battery materials.

The Japanese company is one of the few major producers of sulfide-based solid electrolytes, an important component in all-solid-state batteries. Its A-SOLiD technology has been under development since 2016, and the company is working toward mass production at a dedicated facility in Saitama, Japan.

Mitsui Kinzoku also has a major position in semiconductor materials. It is a leading producer of ultra-thin copper foil and estimates that it holds about 90% of the global semiconductor market for that type of foil.

The partnership gives Factorial access to an established materials supplier while allowing Mitsui Kinzoku to work with a U.S. developer that is already testing solid-state cells in vehicles and other applications.

Dr. Kiyotaka Yasuda, Senior Executive Officer, General Manager, Business Creation Division of Mitsui Kinzoku Company, Limited, says:

“I am very pleased that we have been able to enter into this joint development agreement with Factorial. Batteries are a key technology for realizing an electrified society, but significant technical challenges still remain. That is precisely why we believe it is necessary to go beyond the extension of existing technologies and take on the challenge of creating new value.”

“By leveraging Mitsui Kinzoku’s long-established expertise in materials and manufacturing technologies and combining it with Factorial’s advanced technological capabilities, we aim to accelerate the realization of next-generation batteries.”

Why sulfide electrolytes matter

Traditional lithium-ion batteries use a liquid electrolyte to move lithium ions between the electrodes. Solid-state batteries replace that liquid with a solid material.

But sulfide-based electrolytes are attracting attention because they can provide high ionic conductivity while supporting the thin battery designs needed for high energy density.

However, they also bring manufacturing challenges. Producing consistent layers, managing moisture sensitivity, and integrating the materials into existing battery production lines can be difficult.

This makes manufacturing know-how just as important as the chemistry itself.

• RELATED: Live Lithium Prices Today

Solstice Targets More Energy With Less Weight

Factorial says its Solstice platform can reach up to 450 Wh/kg and deliver up to 80% higher energy density than traditional lithium-ion batteries.

Higher energy density could allow automakers and other customers to choose between longer range and lighter battery packs.

The company is also working on the manufacturing side. Solstice uses proprietary dry-cathode processing, which Factorial says can reduce manufacturing costs and energy use compared with conventional wet-coating methods.

The platform is designed around several potential advantages:

• Energy density of up to 450 Wh/kg, according to Factorial
• Operation at temperatures up to 90°C
• A sulfide-based all-solid-state electrolyte
• Dry-cathode processing designed to simplify production
• Compatibility with parts of existing lithium-ion manufacturing infrastructure

The last point could be particularly important. Battery companies have already invested billions of dollars in lithium-ion factories, so a solid-state technology that can use some existing equipment could potentially reduce the cost and time required to scale.

Factorial Has Already Put Its Batteries to the Test

The company is not starting from a laboratory bench.

Testing with Stellantis

Factorial and Stellantis have been testing FEST® solid-state battery cells in North America. The technology was integrated into a Dodge Charger Daytona prototype as part of the development program.

Stellantis previously reported that Factorial’s 77 Ah FEST cells reached an energy density of 375 Wh/kg over more than 600 cycles.

The cells also demonstrated:

• Charging from 15% to 90% in 18 minutes
• Discharge rates of up to 4C
• Operation from -30°C to 45°C

These results are from testing programs rather than mass-market production, but they show the stage the technology has reached.

Mercedes-Benz pushes range

Mercedes-Benz has also tested Factorial’s technology. A modified EQS equipped with Factorial’s solid-state cells traveled more than 1,200 kilometers, or about 745 miles, on a single charge during a road test.

The test showed why solid-state batteries continue to attract interest from premium automakers. More energy packed into a smaller and lighter battery could make long-range EVs easier to build without simply adding more battery cells.

The U.S. Solid-State Battery Market Is Still Young

Solid-state batteries remain a small commercial market in the U.S., but market researchers expect the sector to expand quickly as automakers move toward pilot production and early commercial applications.

• According to Market Research Future, the U.S. solid-state battery market was valued at $147.83 billion in 2024. The market is expected to grow from $154.04 billion in 2025 to $232.44 billion by 2035. It represents a 4% CAGR during the period.

  

Other forecasts, like Grand View Research, estimate that the U.S. solid-state battery market could reach $4.13 billion by 2033, with a 40.7% CAGR between 2026 and 2033.

The difference between these estimates is significant. It also shows how early the industry is and how much future growth depends on commercialization.

Factorial’s Ecosystem is helping move the market forward

The U.S. is becoming an important testing ground for solid-state batteries because the country has major automakers, battery manufacturers, and government-backed efforts supporting domestic battery production.

Factorial is building its own network around that ecosystem. The company has worked with Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, Hyundai, and Kia. It also has strategic backing from In-Q-Tel and POSCO Future M.

In July, it signed an MOU with SK On to explore bringing its solid-state battery technology into SK On’s global manufacturing network. This approach could help Factorial avoid building an entirely new manufacturing footprint from scratch.

Solid-State Batteries Could Go Beyond EVs

Electric vehicles remain one of the biggest potential markets for solid-state batteries, but Factorial is looking beyond cars. The company announced its first commercial aerospace order in July and is also developing applications for drones, defense, and robotics.

These markets have different battery requirements from passenger vehicles.

For an electric car, a lighter battery can improve range and efficiency. For a drone or aircraft, reducing battery weight can directly affect how long the vehicle can stay in the air.

Robotics could also become an important market as AI moves from software into physical machines.

Factorial describes this broader opportunity as an emerging “energy layer,” where batteries become a critical part of the infrastructure needed for electric mobility, aerospace and physical AI.

Factorial Moves Into Its Next Phase

Factorial’s Nasdaq debut in June 2026 under the ticker FAC marked another step in its commercialization strategy.

The partnership does not mean solid-state batteries are ready to replace lithium-ion cells across the market. Manufacturing scale, cost, durability, and supply-chain development remain major hurdles for the industry.

But the direction is becoming clearer.

Factorial has moved from developing battery chemistry toward testing cells in vehicles and other real-world applications. Its latest deal with Mitsui Kinzoku focuses on the next challenge: building a materials and manufacturing system that can support larger-scale production.

Last but not least, for FAC investors, that shift from laboratory performance to manufacturing execution could become one of the most important parts of Factorial’s next stage of growth.

• READ MORE: BMW Brings AI-Driven Battery Production to the U.S. But Can It Lower EV Manufacturing Emissions? 

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Verra has launched a new Scope 3 Standard (S3S) Program that allows project developers to list climate projects linked to corporate value chains. The program, which started on September 15, helps companies measure, verify, and report emissions reductions.

This is important for projects that impact their supply chains or products. It also creates a new system for issuing Scope 3 Units (S3Us) tied to those outcomes.

The launch happens as companies feel more pressure to cut Scope 3 emissions. These emissions come from activities beyond their direct control. They include suppliers, purchased materials, product use, and other value chain activities.

Verra says Scope 3 emissions typically account for more than 75% of a company’s total carbon footprint. More than 40% of the world’s largest public companies have net-zero targets that include Scope 3 emissions. The new program aims to turn that large emissions challenge into a more structured market for investment in value chain projects.

Project Developers Can Now Join the Program

The first version of the S3S Program is now live, but it is being introduced in stages. At launch, project developers can pipeline-list projects on the Verra Registry using two approved methodologies:

• S3S-VM0042 Improved Agricultural Land Management
• S3S-VM0043 CO2 Utilization in Concrete Production

Future updates will allow projects to move through full registration, validation, and verification, after which Verra will issue S3Us.

This phased approach is important. Projects entering the program today are not automatically receiving Scope 3 Units.

Instead, Verra is first creating a pipeline of projects that meet the new framework. The next stages will add the systems needed to verify project results and issue units.

Project proponents can include project developers, companies reporting Scope 3 targets, government entities, and financial institutions. They must demonstrate the right to operate the project and the right to the resulting greenhouse gas reductions or removals.

What Are Scope 3 Units?

Under the new system, an S3U represents one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent reduced or removed compared with a baseline scenario. Verra writes:

“S3Us represent the climate impact of projects’ emission reduction and removal activities. Companies that can demonstrate a credible value chain connection to the goods or services affected by the project can then request reportable S3Us that are designed for use toward their Scope 3 net zero claims.”

Each unit will also carry information about the project and its climate outcome. This can include the affected product, baseline type, leakage emissions, and reversal risk. The outcomes must be checked by an independent third-party validation and verification body.

This creates an important difference from a conventional carbon credit.

S3Us are designed around a specific company value chain rather than simply representing a tonne of emissions reduced somewhere in the economy. In the future version of the program, a company will need to show a verified connection to the good or service affected by the project. Verra will then use a verified allocation method to issue reportable S3Us to that company.

Those reportable units will be non-transferable between companies. That structure is designed to reduce the risk that several companies claim the same emissions reduction.

Agriculture and Concrete Get First-Mover Status

The two methodologies available at launch target areas with significant emissions reduction potential.

S3S-VM0042 covers improved agricultural land management. The methodology measures emissions reductions and soil carbon removals. It considers practices like reduced tillage, improved fertilizer use, residue management, water management, and cover crops.

Agriculture is key to corporate Scope 3 emissions. Food, agricultural goods, and raw materials often produce significant emissions in supply chains.

The second methodology, S3S-VM0043, covers the use of CO2 in concrete production.

The method can account for projects that use captured or waste CO2 in concrete and permanently embed it in the material. It can also recognize emissions reductions from using less cement, which is important because cement production is highly carbon-intensive.

The two methodologies, therefore, target very different value chains while using the same broader framework.

Why Scope 3 Is So Difficult to Cut

Scope 3 emissions are difficult because companies often have limited direct control over them. A manufacturer can improve the efficiency of its own factories, for example, but it cannot directly control how its suppliers produce raw materials. That makes supply chain projects important. And the fact that these emissions are often the largest, as the case with w2xw below.

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) requires companies with significant Scope 3 emissions to set targets covering their value chains. Companies with Scope 3 emissions over 40% of total Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions must set Scope 3 targets. These targets should cover at least 67% of those emissions using supplier engagement or reduction goals.

SBTi’s new Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0, released in June 2026, focuses more on how companies implement it. This includes operations, value chains, and capital allocation. It requires companies to apply integrity criteria to actions and market instruments used to support target implementation.

• SEE MORE: SBTi Launches New Net-Zero Standard V2.0, Raising the Bar for Corporate Climate Action

That creates a growing need for tools that can show whether investments in suppliers and value chain projects actually deliver measurable emissions reductions.

Verra Wants to Connect Climate Action With Finance

Verra says the new program is intended to help unlock investment in projects inside corporate value chains. The idea is simple: a company must reduce its Scope 3 emissions. At the same time, project developers need funding to carry out emissions reduction efforts.

A common measurement and verification system can help connect the two.

For example, a food company could support improved farming practices that reduce emissions linked to the agricultural products it purchases. A construction company could invest in a process that uses captured CO2 in materials that enter its supply chain.

The S3S framework aims to measure those results and provide a transparent record of the climate impact. That could create a stronger business case for projects that directly reduce a company’s own value chain emissions.

S3Us Are Not Your Typical Carbon Credits

The launch also comes with an important limitation. An S3U is not simply a standard voluntary carbon credit that any company can buy and use for any purpose.

The program is built around a verified value chain connection. Verra says Version 2 will establish the process for companies to prove that connection and receive reportable S3Us for Scope 3 reporting.

This distinction is important as companies face growing scrutiny over climate claims.

The SBTi’s 2026 net-zero standard stresses that companies should focus on cutting direct emissions. They should use market tools as part of a broader strategy, not as a substitute for reducing their own emissions.

A Digital System Could Lower Project Costs

Verra is also taking a digital-first approach. Project processes will be managed through the Verra Project Hub and Registry.

The organization says streamlined requirements and, where appropriate, more focused verification could allow faster reviews and more frequent issuance at lower cost.

Lower verification costs could make small projects easier. Also, digital records help companies track projects and climate outcomes over time.

Scope 3 Enters a New Market Phase

Verra’s launch comes as companies face growing pressure to reduce and report Scope 3 emissions, which often make up most of their total carbon footprint. The new program gives developers a structured way to finance projects tied directly to corporate supply chains.

The launch is still an early step. Only two methodologies are available, while full registration, verification, and S3U issuance will be added through later updates. The program’s success will depend on whether companies use it at scale and whether projects deliver measurable emissions cuts.

For now, the Scope 3 Standard offers new infrastructure for value-chain climate action. Its long-term value will depend on strong measurement, clear links between companies and projects, and safeguards against double counting or overstated climate claims.

• READ MORE: Verra and S&P Global Build the Digital Backbone for Carbon Markets With New Registry

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Google has signed its largest carbon removal purchase to date with climate company Terradot, backing a major project in southern Brazil that combines methane reduction from rice farming with permanent carbon removal.

The project will cover more than 200,000 hectares or 500,000 acres of rice farmland in Rio Grande do Sul. It will use two different climate solutions:

• Alternate wetting and drying (AWD) to reduce methane from rice fields and
• Enhanced rock weathering (ERW) to remove CO2 from the atmosphere.

Google will purchase 1 million tonnes of CO2e of methane elimination by 2030 and another 1 million tonnes of permanent carbon removal by 2040. The two volumes should not be treated as 2 million tonnes of permanent carbon removal. Methane reduction and carbon dioxide removal have different climate effects and time scales.

Still, the agreement is significant. It is the largest ERW project publicly announced so far and the first project at this scale to combine near-term methane cuts with long-term carbon removal. 

Randy Spock, Head of Carbon Removal, noted:

“We hope this agreement will serve as a template to other buyers, suppliers, and governments aiming to maximize their climate impact. We look forward to continuing to help scale superpollutant elimination and carbon removal in tandem — so we can put an immediate and lasting dent in warming with the urgency the planet demands.”

One Rice Project, Two Climate Solutions

Rice farming is a major source of methane because fields are often kept flooded. Waterlogged soils create conditions that allow methane-producing microbes to thrive.

The first part of the Terradot project uses alternate wetting and drying, which periodically drains rice fields before they are flooded again.

The approach can cut methane emissions by about 30% to 70% without reducing yields, according to the International Rice Research Institute. It can also reduce water use by about 30%. That makes AWD attractive for farmers as well as carbon buyers.

The approach also targets an important source of global methane. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that rice cultivation makes up about 8% of methane emissions from humans. In total, agriculture contributes around 40%.

Methane remains in the atmosphere for much less time than CO2, but it has a much stronger warming effect over shorter periods. Google is therefore treating methane reduction as a way to slow near-term warming while the second part of the project builds more permanent climate benefits.

• SEE MORE: Google Targets Rice Methane Emissions in India with 1 Million Carbon Credits

Turning Volcanic Rock Into Carbon Removal

Terradot will also spread crushed volcanic rock across the same rice fields.

Over time, rainwater and soil moisture react with the rock’s minerals. This speeds up a natural process known as enhanced rock weathering, which removes CO2 from the atmosphere and stores the carbon in stable forms. This carbon removal is designed to last for thousands of years.

The approach is attractive because it does not require underground CO2 storage or large industrial capture equipment. Instead, it uses agricultural land as the setting for a natural mineral reaction.

However, ERW still faces challenges. Developers must measure the CO2 removed. They also need to consider emissions from mining and transporting rock. Finally, they must ensure that the carbon stays stored for the required time.

That makes measurement, reporting, and verification especially important as ERW projects become larger.

Brazil Offers ERW a Massive Testing Ground

Southern Brazil is well suited to Terradot’s model. Google says the region has warm and wet conditions that can help speed up rock weathering. Basalt quarries are also located relatively close to the rice-growing areas.

The scale of the project is significant. Brazil has about 1.5 million hectares of rice under cultivation, according to Google. That means the project’s more than 200,000 hectares could eventually cover about 13% of the country’s rice area if the approach is expanded.

Rio Grande do Sul is Brazil’s main rice-producing state. IBGE estimated about 932,870 hectares of rice area for the 2025 crop. The project’s 200,000-plus hectares would, therefore, equal roughly 21% of the state’s rice area, highlighting its potential scale.

The model could eventually be tested in other major rice-producing countries. Google says it is supporting research into how AWD could work across different rice systems worldwide, while Terradot sees Brazil as the first step toward wider expansion.

Google Is Increasing Its Carbon Removal Buying

The Terradot agreement builds on Google’s earlier support for ERW. In December 2024, Google agreed to purchase 200,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits from Terradot, to be delivered by the early 2030s. At the time, Google called it the largest ERW deal announced.

The new agreement is five times larger on the permanent carbon removal side, at 1 million tonnes.

Google has also expanded its focus beyond CO2 removal. In March 2026, the company pledged to spend at least $50 million through 2030 on projects targeting methane and other short-lived superpollutants.

The Terradot deal brings those two strategies together.

AI Emissions Raise the Stakes for Google

The purchase also comes as Google’s environmental footprint is changing quickly because of AI. Google’s 2026 Environmental Report says its electricity demand rose 37% in 2025, the largest annual increase in the company’s history. At the same time, its supply chain increased 25%, while operational emissions fell 2%.

The company also signed agreements for more than 12 GW of new clean energy in 2025, bringing its cumulative clean energy procurement since 2010 to nearly 35 GW.

Google has a goal of reaching net-zero emissions across its operations and value chain by 2030. The company says carbon removal is one part of that strategy, alongside direct emissions reductions, clean energy procurement, and efficiency improvements.

This distinction matters. The Terradot purchase does not remove the need for Google to reduce its own emissions. Instead, durable carbon removal is intended to address residual emissions that remain difficult to eliminate.

Carbon Removal Demand Is Growing, But Delivery Matters

The Google deal arrives as the durable carbon removal market becomes more mature and more selective.

CDR.fyi says durable CDR purchases grew at a 151% compound annual rate between 2021 and 2025, excluding purchases from Microsoft and Frontier. Deliveries have also grown rapidly, but the market remains far smaller than the scale needed for global climate goals.

The gap is substantial. The IPCC says climate pathways consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C or 2°C require large-scale carbon removal later this century. Its assessed pathways include several gigatonnes of annual removal by 2050.

That is far above today’s market. This creates a major opportunity for technologies such as ERW, but also raises the bar for proving that each tonne is real and measurable.

The Cost Challenge Remains

One of the biggest hurdles for ERW is cost. The technology requires mining or sourcing rock, crushing it, and transporting it to farms. Those activities consume energy and can create emissions that must be included in the project’s carbon accounting.

Reuters reported that the cost of Terradot’s removal remains above the $100-per-tonne level often viewed as important for wider market adoption, although the company expects costs to fall as operations scale.

Large purchase agreements can help solve part of this problem. Long-term commitments provide developers with demand visibility, which can support investment in equipment, project development and measurement systems.

Can Rice Fields Become the Next Carbon Removal Platform?

The Terradot agreement stands out because it combines short-term methane reduction with long-term carbon removal in the same farming system. AWD can reduce methane emissions quickly. ERW takes longer to remove CO2 but can store carbon for a much longer period.

Google says the model is designed to become a blueprint for other rice-growing regions. For the carbon removal market, however, the deal sends a strong signal.

Large corporate buyers are moving beyond small pilot purchases and backing larger projects designed to deliver millions of tonnes over time.

If Terradot can deliver at the planned scale, the project could help show how agricultural land can become a platform for both methane reduction and durable carbon removal—and provide a model that could be replicated across major rice markets worldwide.

• READ MORE: Google, Fervo (FRVO Stock) Sign Record Geothermal Deal to Power AI

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