Eef beach on Kume Island, Okinawa ©Shutterstock
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Japan-based technology company Hitachi and shipping giant MOL, alongside Japan Airlines, plan to conduct Japan’s first direct ocean capture (DOC) pilot on Kume Island in Okinawa.
The pilot will use equipment installed on the island to assess the suitability of DOC technology – developed by US-based Captura – by drawing in seawater and separating carbon dioxide (CO2).
The three companies said the pilot aims to generate operational and environmental data needed to assess the technology’s suitability for deployment along Japan’s coastline. The project will also explore potential uses for the captured CO2, including as a feedstock for synthetic aviation fuels (e-SAF).
Hitachi will measure and record operating status and water quality data to optimise operating conditions. The data will also support the development of a platform for generating carbon credits through measurement, reporting and verification.
MOL will help prepare the pilot site through a partnership agreement with Kumejima Town in Okinawa. The company has to purchase 30,000 carbon removal credits generated using Captura’s DOC technology.
Japan Airlines plans to evaluate the potential of DOC technology to support the production of e-SAF from captured CO2.
How Captura’s DOC technology works ©Captura
According to the trio, DOC could play a role in decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors such as shipping and aviation, where emissions remain difficult to eliminate.
They added that building a domestic carbon removal ecosystem could also reduce Japan’s future reliance on purchasing carbon credits from overseas.
DOC removes dissolved CO2 from seawater. Because the ocean naturally exchanges the gas with the atmosphere, removing dissolved CO2 encourages seawater to absorb more atmospheric CO2, creating a continuous removal cycle.
The companies said seawater contains around 100 to 150 times more CO2 than air, potentially making the approach less energy-intensive and lower cost than direct air capture.
Technology developer Captura last year launched a 1,000 tonnes per year pilot plant in Hawaii in partnership with energy firm Equinor.
At the time, CEO Steve Oldham, said the facility is the last milestone before moving to widespread commercial deployment of DOC technology.
“Its rapid installation and commissioning … demonstrates how our simple, modular design is ready to be scaled quickly to help address the urgent climate and energy challenge.”
