Climate Restoration OIF MRV Project

Climate Restoration OIF MRV Project

Every major search engine and AI bot agrees: climate change is the greatest challenge facing humanity.

✓ Would you like to be part of the global solution?
✓ Would you like future generations to have a world that works for all?
✓ What would it look like if we all stood together and made Climate Restoration an idea whose time has come?

Together, it’s possible to restore the climate by 2050 or sooner!

The Climate Restoration Alliance (CRA) is leading the charge to scale up the Climate Restoration Industry by 2030, to remove excess CO₂ from the atmosphere and restore a livable climate for our children—before it’s too late.

Among the strategies explored, Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF) stands out as the only natural, scalable, and cost-effective solution that mimics Earth’s own methods of CO₂ removal. To learn more about how it works, visit our FAQs on OIF.

OIF has been validated both by nature and through more than a dozen open-ocean experiments. However, to scale this solution responsibly, we must be able to measure our impact and monitor for any unintended consequences. (To date, no harmful side effects have been observed.)

Phase 1: Complete!

Thanks to your incredible support, the Climate Restoration Alliance and Rotary partners have successfully completed the first phase of the Climate Restoration MRV (Measurement, Reporting & Verification) Project. This milestone included real-world testing of our first buoy system off the California coast and demonstrated the potential of our MRV infrastructure to support scalable ocean-based CO₂ removal.

See progress report below.

Phase 2: What’s Next?

Building on the success of  Phase 1, we are now moving to the next critical step toward scalable ocean-based CO₂ removal: Phase 2.

This follow-up project will demonstrate the reliability and survivability of our buoy systems, and validate the detectors’ performance.

It will be a critical step in enhancing our ability to monitor ocean CO₂ levels and other key metrics using upgraded sensors and improved testing protocols. It lays the foundation for a full-scale OIF pilot deployment.

Phase 3 is expected to include a larger-scale 9-buoy test that utilizes upgraded sensor technology and data algorithms to enhance monitoring capabilities. It will enable real-world testing of sensor performance, reliability, and data precision in ocean conditions. Additionally, the project will support the development of high-integrity MRV (Measurement, Reporting, and Verification) methodology essential for scaling ocean-based climate restoration solutions.

Project Timeline

Project Budget (as of April 1, 2025)

* ($43,317 through The Grandparents Fund and $21,460 from Rotarians & Rotary Clubs)
** 10-20% of funds raised are used for overhead

This project is a vital bridge from prototype to global scale, helping us deploy scientifically sound, cost-effective climate restoration solutions that can return our planet to safe CO₂ levels—and ensure a future where humanity can flourish.

Please use the form below to invest in this project.

Thank you for supporting our project!

Team

A huge thank you and acknowledgment to the project team:

• Alan Burnham – Team Lead
• Joe Brabec
• Donald Sweeney
• Jagdish Girimaji

Progress Report

March 2025 – Part 2

On March 27, 2025, the Climate Restoration Alliance successfully conducted its first open-ocean buoy test just outside the Golden Gate in challenging 9-foot seas. Despite the rough conditions, the test provided invaluable insights and marked a significant milestone in the path toward scalable ocean-based climate restoration.

Key successes included verifying buoy deployment and retrieval procedures, training the boat crew, and collecting preliminary CO₂ and temperature data. Importantly, the test revealed simple, low-cost upgrades—such as reinforcing the sensor cradle with stainless-steel straps—that will enhance durability and ensure more reliable data collection in future deployments.

This first test confirmed the feasibility of our approach and set the stage for further sensor refinement, improved buoy configurations, and optimized measurement protocols. It was an encouraging step forward in building the MRV systems needed to support full-scale Ocean Iron Fertilization pilot projects.

March 2025 – Part 1

• All the major components for the buoy systems were received and available for drift testing
• Leaks in the sensor housing were identified by pressure testing and fixed, and underwater testing was resumed
• Time constant measurements indicate improvements in the membrane for underwater CO2 measurements warrant improvement
• Getting ready for for additional tests in the San Francisco Bay and offshore California in the next few months.

February 2025

• A final configuration was designed and constructed for the sensor buoy, and initial components for flotation and a dragline are ordered
• The second and third Spotter buoys were ordered and received
• Coding was completed for collecting data for our sensors through the Spotter Iridium satellite system
• Extensive testing in air confirms that the Vaisala GMP252 sensor meets our specification for the difference between two adjacent detectors over time, while the inexpensive K30 sensor is marginal
• Underwater tests were compromised by small leaks in added sensor fittings

January 2025

• We acquired a more expensive CO2 sensor, and initial tests indicate it is likely to meet our reproducibility specification
• Additional tests on the PVC union fitting confirms that it keeps the sensor chamber dry for depths up to 1.5 m
• Tests of a prototype system for attaching sensors directly to the Spotter buoy were not encouraging, so efforts were redirected towards a separate sensor buoy connected by the Bristlemouth cable
• Sensor buoy prototype tests led to modifications for proper buoyancy and self-righting characteristics

December 2024

• Our SOFAR buoy system was picked up in San Francisco
• A capillary entry pressure of 30 psi was measured for 0.22-µm-pore PTFE filters
• PVC union fittings as housing for protecting the CO2 sensors were demonstrated to keep the sensor chamber dry for several days at depths of a meter, but membrane failures were observed at 5 meters. We decided that 0.5 meters was an adequate depth for our purposes.
• Testing of inexpensive sensors suggested they are unlikely to meet our reproducibility requirement
• The Spotter buoy was activated, and data from internal sensors is communicated to the Iridium satellite.

November 2024

• A visit to SOFAR in San Francisco led to placing an order for Spotter buoy with a Bristlemouth interface to our CO2 sensors
• Inexpensive CO2 sensor options were acquired and testing initiated

• A saltwater column was constructed to test the durability of PTFE laminated filters as a membrane to protect the sensors from water, both as splashes above the water and underwater to depths of up to 5 meters

September 2024

Kick-off meeting for the project!

The Grandparents Fund for Climate Restoration (The Climate Restoration Fund)
is a US 501(c)3 charitable organization with EIN: 93-2872908. Donations are tax-deductible where applicable.

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