Carbon capture company wins $5m to scale up

A carbon capture company has won a $5m international prize to scale up its work.

UNDO, founded by Jim Mann, won an Xprize competition offering cash prizes for projects that could combat climate change.

It followed a Newcastle University study at Nafferton Farm in Northumberland which demonstrated that spreading volcanic dust on farmland, a material that captures carbon from the air, could also increase crop yields by more than 20%.

Mr Mann, who is a former Durham University ecology student, said the collaboration with Newcastle University was "instrumental" in advancing the technology.

Basalt rock found in soil in the north-east of England was crushed into dust and given to farmers, in field tests published last year.

Newcastle professor David Manning, who led the study, said: "Research at Nafferton Farm has shown that, in a bad year for crop growth, use of basaltic rock dust gives increased yields, suggesting that it is particularly helpful when plants are under stress."

Following the prize win, Manufacturer UNDO said it would "remain focused on building the foundations for a world where enhanced rock weathering becomes a common farming practice".

The main winner of the XPrize competition was India's Mati Carbon, which was awarded $50m.

UNDO was one of three runners-up, with Canada's Planetary receiving $1m for ocean work and the UAE's Project Hajar awarded $1m for direct air capture.

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