Why We Invested in Brineworks: A Model for Circular Carbon
Brineworks is turning that vision into reality. Their electrolysis technology enables carbon dioxide capture and hydrogen synthesis at scale, using renewable energy and intermittent sources. Captured carbon can be used as an e-fuel or materials input, while hydrogen is produced as a high-value byproduct.
Katapult Ocean believes carbon can be more than a cost. Brineworks’ technology unlocks multiple revenue streams through e-fuels, carbon capture, and materials, offering flexibility in production between hydrogen and CO₂.
For the large-scale deployment of industrial carbon capture systems, having utility beyond just captured carbon is critical to the overall unit economics of such projects. Moreover, from an impact perspective, providing a solution that can generate the components needed for net-zero fuel is far more compelling than simply sequestering a small percentage of global emissions with a standalone DAC unit.
“Brineworks offers a breakthrough solution to transportation emissions in maritime and aviation. Their innovative and flexible technology enables carbon to be viewed as a circular resource, rather than a cost. By unlocking the power of the market, we hope to accelerate greenhouse gas reductions and the transition to a zero-carbon world.”
–Ross Brooks, General Partner at Katapult Ocean
Problem
Direct Air Capture (DAC) methods have been too expensive to deploy at commercial scale. Reducing costs — particularly through low-CAPEX systems — is critical to unlocking large-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and e-fuels. Affordable, scalable, and sustainable CO₂ is increasingly necessary as point-source CO₂ fails to meet evolving EU and international climate regulations, and biogenic CO₂ supply is limited.
Solution
Brineworks’ breakthrough electrolyzer makes low-cost electrochemical DAC possible. It lowers costs in three ways:
1 Low CAPEX: Fewer and cheaper materials reduce capital requirements.
2 Low OPEX: Flexible operation on the cheapest renewable power, including intermittent solar and wind, reduces operational costs.
3 Universal deployability: The modular system works in any setting, enabling mass manufacturing and rapid scaling.
Together, these advantages enable affordable and scalable DAC that meets growing demand for sustainable CO₂.
Impact
Brineworks has demonstrated long-term electrolyzer durability at pilot scale with trusted partners. Their Gran Canaria pilot has been running for a year, proving reliability under real-world conditions. The team is scaling the electrolyzer stack and preparing for an end-to-end DAC pilot in Amsterdam later this year, expected to remove 25 tons of CO₂ per year.
Why We Invested
We invested because Brinework’s technology enables a market-based model for circular carbon dioxide, due to its compatibility with renewable energy sources and their high-value Hydrogen side stream.
Learn more about Brineworks.
Impact report
