Microsoft finalizes one of the biggest-ever contracts for carbon removal with biomass waste management company Vaulted Deep
Vaulted Deep, a startup specialising in waste management, has signed a significant 12-year partnership with tech giant Microsoft. This agreement, which runs through 2038, enables Microsoft to purchase up to 4.9 million metric tons of carbon removal generated by Vaulted Deep's innovative technology.
Vaulted Deep's carbon dioxide removal process is unique. It involves burying organic waste deep underground in geologic formations sealed by impermeable rock. The organic waste streams, including manure, food and agricultural residues, paper sludge, and biosolids, all contain atmospheric CO₂. This method, which uses deep well injection, permanently stores the carbon, reduces methane emissions, and prevents harmful contaminants such as PFAS from reaching local environments.
The partnership supports Vaulted Deep's expansion across the U.S., and underscores Microsoft's commitment to accelerating scalable and durable carbon removal solutions. Julia Reichelstein, the co-founder and CEO of Vaulted Deep, expressed her excitement about the collaboration, stating that it would allow Vaulted Deep to tackle hard-to-manage organic waste across industries on a larger scale.
Microsoft, the largest corporate buyer of carbon removal credits globally, has announced several such agreements in recent weeks. The company aims to become carbon negative by 2030, and this deal with Vaulted Deep is a significant step towards achieving that goal.
Vaulted Deep's carbon-rich biomass offers a permanence of over 10,000 years. The startup's work delivers immediate climate benefits while stimulating local economies. Moreover, it addresses long-standing environmental challenges faced by communities and delivers measurable climate and public health improvements.
The agreement places Microsoft as the second largest purchaser of carbon removal credits, behind the Frontier buyers group with 1.4 million tonnes. This brings Microsoft's carbon removal purchases to over 30 million tonnes, reflecting a broader shift in how carbon removal is being deployed. No longer limited to emerging technologies, carbon removal is increasingly delivered through large-scale existing infrastructure with novel applications.
Vaulted Deep is actively seeking new waste partners across industries to tackle their hard-to-manage organic waste. With its proprietary slurry injection technology and commitment to permanent carbon storage, Vaulted Deep is poised to make a significant impact in the fight against climate change.
- The scientific approach of Vaulted Deep, specializing in environmental science, involves carbon removal by burying organic waste deep in the environment, contributing to Microsoft's endeavors in addressing climate-change.
- The partnership between Vaulted Deep and Microsoft, both entities from the business sphere, reveals Microsoft's financial commitment towards acquiring carbon removal solutions, aligning with their goal of becoming carbon negative by 2030.
- Vaulted Deep's innovative carbon removal method, using deep well injection, not only provides permanence of over 10,000 years, but also offers immediate climate benefits, economic stimulation, and public health improvements, underscoring the convergence of finance and environmental science in the business world.
