Limenet issues its first certified carbon credits with blockchain traceability. The Italian startup operates a pilot plant in Augusta (Sicily) – the world’s largest – active since September 2024.
Limenet has issued its first verified carbon credits, generated in accordance with the verification protocol of Isometric, one of the first independent registries specialized in carbon dioxide removal (CDR). The credits stem from experimental operations at its Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) facility in Augusta, near Syracuse. It’s the company’s second plant after the pilot site in La Spezia – and currently the largest in the world. With this milestone, the Italian startup takes another significant step toward making CO2 marine sequestration scalable, effective, and more transparent.
CO2 marine sequestration: a promising climate solution
Limenet’s technology enhances the ocean’s natural ability to absorb atmospheric CO₂ through a process known as Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement. By introducing alkaline materials such as calcium oxide (CaO) or calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂) into seawater, the system triggers chemical reactions that convert carbon dioxide into stable bicarbonate ions (HCO₃⁻), which are harmless to marine ecosystems.
This approach is part of a broader group of negative emissions technologies recognized by the latest UN IPCC report as essential to achieving climate neutrality.
Unlike other large-scale industrial projects, Limenet’s model is decentralized and modular, allowing for installations in coastal or port areas with minimal infrastructure impact.
Results from the first removal cycle
During its initial operational cycle, Limenet’s Augusta plant removed 14.7 metric tons of CO₂, converting it into dissolved bicarbonates in the sea. Each ton corresponds to one certified carbon credit, totaling 14.7 credits issued to date. All credits were validated by Isometric and recorded on a blockchain platform to ensure full traceability and immutability.
Every stage of the process – from bicarbonate production to marine release – underwent a complete life cycle assessment (LCA) to confirm a positive emissions balance.
Blockchain for transparency and trust
One of Limenet’s key innovations lies in its use of blockchain technology to register carbon credits. This ensures that each credit is tamper-proof and publicly verifiable, offering buyers a clear view of the CO₂’s origin and actual removal. In a voluntary carbon market still grappling with trust issues, Limenet’s model could become a benchmark for transparency and accountability.
Limenet’s role in Europe’s carbon removal ecosystem
Founded by a team of engineers, climate scientists, and entrepreneurs, Limenet was created to scale permanent CO₂ removal using an industrial approach. Italy’s 7,000-kilometer coastline offers a unique opportunity for widespread Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement.
The company’s ambition is bold: remove up to 1 million tons of CO₂ annually by 2030 through a growing network of plants and partnerships in the logistics and port sectors.
