How Can Darjeeling Tea Help Global Companies Reach Net Zero?

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Co-Founders of Alt Carbon, Sparsh and Shrey Agarwal, pictured on the Selim Hill Tea Estate where their carbon removal project is taking root | Credit: Alt Carbon
NextGen CDR has partnered with Alt Carbon, an Indian company with an ingenious method of storing carbon in tea farms across Darjeeling

India's Futures Summit 2024 was attended by dignitaries of state and industry from around the subcontinent and beyond, all of whom gathered to discuss a future necessarily shaped by sustainability.

At the summit, one particularly fascinating agreement was made without much fanfare. Though you may not have heard about it before, the accord — struck between Switzerland's NextGen and India's Alt Carbon — was a significant moment in the growth of the global carbon dioxide removal (CDR) market.

NextGen, a joint venture between South Pole and Mitsubishi, is one of the world's leading CDR portfolios. It funds carbon removal projects of all kinds, from state-of-the-art to meat-and-potatoes.

It then sells carbon credits to companies that want to achieve their net zero targets. Companies who pay for these credits effectively claim ownership of the carbon removal of others, simply by buying credits.

This is called carbon offsetting.

Alt Carbon, one of India's premier carbon removal companies, is one such organisation that NextGen funds. 

The partnership signals a pretty notable shift in the carbon removal market, which has traditionally been concentrated in Europe and North America.

By investing in projects beyond these regions, NextGen is demonstrating a commitment to diversifying its geographic footprint and integrating innovative methods to meet the world’s urgent climate needs.

This deal also opens the door for global buyers to access carbon removal credits from the Indian market, including major players such as Boston Consulting Group, UBS and Swiss Re.

NextGen provides companies with an easy way to reduce their carbon footprint | Credit: NextGen

How does Alt Carbon remove carbon from the atmosphere?

Alt Carbon's work involves enhanced rock weathering techniques on tea plantations in the Himalayan foothills.

The technique employed by Alt Carbon involves spreading finely ground basalt over tea plantations in the humid, mountainous region of Darjeeling.

The basalt reacts with CO₂ in the atmosphere, facilitating its conversion into stable bicarbonates that are stored in the soil for more than 10,000 years.

The region's climatic conditions are favourable for this process, accelerating the weathering and CO₂ absorption rates. ​​​​​​​

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"Carbon dioxide removal technologies are set to play a vital role in the fight against climate change; it is the need of the hour to support innovative efforts with financial incentives," says K. Kartick, Head of NextGen.

"That’s why we are delighted to purchase from Alt Carbon to not only expand NextGen’s geographic footprint but also complete our portfolio technology mix."

K. Kartick (third from left), Head of NextGen, pictured at the announcement of the deal | Credit: Alt Carbon

Enhanced rock weathering's potential in global climate strategy

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has underlined the urgency of removing at least 10 billion tonnes of CO₂ from the atmosphere annually by 2050 to stave off the worst impacts of climate change.

Enhanced rock weathering has been identified as a potential solution capable of meeting up to 40% of this target, making it a key component of any comprehensive climate action strategy.

The partnership's focus on the tea plantations of Darjeeling not only contributes to global carbon removal efforts but also supports the sustainability of a heritage industry that is increasingly at risk due to changing climate conditions.

Three members of the Alt Carbon team, ready to spread Basalt on the Kamala tea estate in Darjeeling | Credit: Alt Carbon

The tea industry, a cornerstone of the economy in regions such as Darjeeling, faces a lot of growing threats from climate change.

Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall patterns and droughts have already begun to affect the quality and the yield of crops in recent years.

The integration of enhanced rock weathering with traditional farming practices aims to address these challenges by improving soil health and resilience, thereby supporting local farmers.

The Alt Carbon team on the Kamala Tea Estate in Darjeeling | Credit: Alt Carbon

Building local capacity with a new geochemical laboratory

Alt Carbon is determined to go one step further than most carbon removal companies.

The team is building a geochemical lab on site at the Kamala Tea Estate, where soils and rocks will be tested to see just how effective the basalt spreading is at any given moment.

This will help Alt Carbon quantify its carbon removal project, providing precise data to potential buyers and investors.

Dr Sambuddha Misra, Associate Professor at the Centre for Earth Sciences in Bangalore, is a big proponent of Alt Carbon's new lab. He says: "Our initiative to set up a state-of-the-art geochemical laboratory in Darjeeling is an integral part of creating a self-reliant local ecosystem.

"This lab will not only expedite quantification of CDR in a cost-effective way, it will also provide tremendous employment opportunities to postgraduate degree holders in science. This is an exciting time to be in Darjeeling."

Sambuddha Misra (centre), Associate Professor at the Centre for Earth Sciences | Credit: Sambuddha Misra

The diversification of NextGen's CDR portfolio to include enhanced rock weathering is a strategic move.

The Alt Carbon project stands out as an early-stage effort with credits expected to be available as soon as 2025, contrasting with many other CDR projects that are not slated to come online until 2030 or later.

With an average price of US$200 per tonne, the credits from this initiative represent a more accessible option for companies seeking to fulfil their environmental commitments.

This price point aligns with corporate procurement goals and positions the partnership as a market first in delivering cost-effective, high-integrity carbon removals.

This is an exciting time to be in Darjeeling

Sambuddha Misra, Associate Professor at the Centre for Earth Sciences

How to transform a heritage industry into a beacon of climate action

CDR is a booming sector and countless companies will queue up to buy credits from companies who can provide them, especially at prices as good as Alt Carbon's.

But Alt Carbon's efforts also reflect a deeper personal connection to the Darjeeling and its environmental challenges.

Shrey Agarwal, Co-Founder and CEO of Alt Carbon, comes from a family of tea planters who have operated in the area for four generations.

Shrey believes that the project could be totally transformative for his homeland.

Shrey (left) and Sparsh (right) Agarwal, brothers and Co-Founders of Alt Carbon | Credit: Alt Carbon

He says: “As fourth-generation tea planters, our aim is to transform our family’s heritage tea estates from being at-risk of climate change impact to become the frontier of climate action through the pathway of enhanced weathering.”

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