XPRIZE Awards $100 Million for Carbon Removal Solutions

Mati Carbon, a Houston-based startup, won the $50 million grand prize in the Elon Musk-backed $100 million XPrize competition for carbon removal, utilizing a low-tech approach known as enhanced rock weathering. Their method involves spreading finely crushed basalt on small farms in countries like India, Zambia, and Tanzania, accelerating a natural process that captures atmospheric CO2 and improves soil fertility, leading to increased crop yields for local farmers. The XPrize, launched by Musk's foundation, aimed to spur innovation in scalable carbon removal technologies, but its long-term impact may be challenged by shifts in government climate policy, particularly as support for federal climate research has waned under the Trump administration, in which Musk holds a role. While Mati Carbon's approach is being celebrated for its dual environmental and economic benefits, experts note that widespread adoption of carbon removal technologies will likely require sustained government support or regulation. The competition featured teams from 88 countries and was independently judged by scientists, emphasizing the global and rigorous nature of the effort. Organizers and participants expressed ongoing gratitude for the Musk Foundation's support, even as broader policy uncertainties cast a shadow over the future of the emerging carbon removal industry.