In a global first for the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) sector, Israeli start-up CarbonBlue has installed a pilot system at a functioning desalination facility, integrating CO₂ capture directly into water treatment infrastructure. The pilot, dubbed ‘Midway’, is located at the Ma’agan Michael brackish water desalination facility and aims to reduce emissions, lower operational costs, and boost water system efficiency.
The pilot represents a major innovation in industrial decarbonisation. CarbonBlue’s system captures CO₂ from process water streams using a chemical reaction with lime to produce precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC), a commercially valuable by-product. The process not only removes carbon from water—which naturally equilibrates with atmospheric CO₂—but also improves operational performance by preventing scaling, extending membrane life, and increasing freshwater output.
“Our 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 pilot’s initial phase will process 10% of the plant’s saline water intake, capturing around 40 metric tonnes of CO₂ annually. The system is expected to scale to treat 100% of the intake, increasing CO₂ removal to over 400 tonnes per year. Longer-term plans include deployment at multiple sites with the potential for multi-million-tonne carbon removal capacity.
CarbonBlue’s approach targets U.S. industries reliant on large volumes of water—including power generation, manufacturing, and desalination—offering a route to industrial decarbonisation without overhauling existing infrastructure. The technology could also generate new revenue streams through the sale of PCC.
“U.S. firms are already exploring how our system can fit into their existing plants,” Deviri added. “It’s a straightforward way to reduce carbon footprints and improve efficiency without disruptive changes to traditional industrial processes.”
Founded in 2022 by physicist Dr Dan Deviri and COO Iddo Tsur, CarbonBlue chose to focus on water-based carbon removal due to the high concentration of CO₂ in water compared to air. The company argues that leveraging existing water systems provides a scalable, practical pathway for carbon dioxide removal.
The launch comes as the global CDR industry struggles to meet climate targets. In 2023, only 41 megatonnes of CO₂ were removed globally—far below the 1 to 1.5 gigatonnes required annually by 2030–2035 to stay on track for net zero. The carbon removal market, valued at $3.4 billion in 2024, is projected to grow to $25 billion by 2029.
With applications ranging from desalination facilities in California to industrial plants across the U.S., CarbonBlue’s Midway project demonstrates how integrating CO₂ removal into existing infrastructure could help bridge the emissions gap.
