Integrated Carbon Removal: CarbonBlue’s Midway pilot is the world’s first to embed carbon dioxide removal (CDR) into an operating desalination plant, lowering emissions while enhancing operational efficiency.
Scalable Climate Solution: The system will scale from removing 40 metric tons of CO₂ annually to over 400 tons, with potential to reach millions across industries.
Dual Revenue Model: The technology reduces costs for water-intensive industries and produces high-value calcium carbonate as a sellable by-product.
CarbonBlue has launched the Midway pilot project—an industry-first system that integrates carbon dioxide removal (CDR) directly into a functioning brackish water desalination plant in Ma’agan Michael, Israel. This breakthrough marks a significant step in linking industrial productivity with climate action, enabling CO₂ capture without disrupting operations.
“This technology shows that carbon removal doesn’t have to be disruptive or costly,” said Dr. Dan Deviri, Co-founder and CEO of CarbonBlue. “By working with existing water infrastructure, we can lower emissions, increase operational efficiency, and deliver real benefits for both industry and the environment.”
The system captures atmospheric CO₂ from the plant’s process water using a chemical reactor. CO₂ reacts with lime to form high-purity precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC)—a key industrial feedstock. The decarbonated water, when released, reabsorbs atmospheric CO₂, amplifying climate impact.
Key Pilot Metrics:
Phase One: Captures 40 metric tons of CO₂ annually from 10% of water intake.
Full-Scale Implementation: Targets over 400 metric tons per year, with future scaling into tens of thousands of tons per facility.
The pilot brings benefits beyond decarbonization. For the desalination facility, the Midway system prevents scaling, extends membrane life, and increases usable water output—boosting both community and national water supply.
“U.S. firms are already exploring how our system can fit into their existing plants,” Deviri noted. “It’s a straightforward way to reduce carbon footprints and improve efficiency without disruptive changes to traditional industrial processes and infrastructure.”
CarbonBlue’s approach is especially suited for water-intensive U.S. sectors such as energy, manufacturing, and cooling. The system not only reduces operating costs but also creates new revenue streams via the sale of high-quality PCC and verified decarbonization benefits.
Founded in 2022 by Deviri and COO Iddo Tsur, CarbonBlue chose water-based CO₂ removal after realizing that CO₂ concentrations in water are over 100 times higher than in air. This makes water-based removal a direct, scalable path to atmospheric CO₂ reduction.
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“We saw water as the smarter path to scale carbon removal,” Deviri explained.
The timing is critical. According to the World Economic Forum, only 41 megatons of CO₂ were removed globally in 2023—well below the 1–1.5 gigatons needed annually by 2030–2035 to reach net-zero goals. The CDR market, currently worth $3.4 billion, is projected to grow to $25 billion by 2029, underscoring the urgent demand for scalable solutions like CarbonBlue’s.
From California’s desalination hubs to industrial sites across the U.S. Midwest, the Midway pilot provides a roadmap for cleaner, more efficient operations aligned with global climate targets.
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