INTRODUCING THE XPRIZE CARBON REMOVAL EXPERT REVIEWERS

Feb 15 2022

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The $100M XPRIZE Carbon Removal recently closed its Phase 1 submission deadline with a XPRIZE record setting amount of submissions. Teams are hoping to walk away with 1 of 15 $1M Milestone Awards, a recognition going to the most promising carbon removal concepts that will help Earth restore its carbon balance.

XPRIZE is undertaking a two-phased judging process to identify the Milestone Award Winners. The first round of reviews will be conducted by 68 “Expert Reviewers” from around the world. These reviewers bring an impressive range of expertise within the carbon dioxide removal space, spanning the sub-fields and nuances across each of the four broad solution categories:  ocean-based solutions, land-based solutions, direct air capture, and mineralization. 

Submissions came from all types of innovators, startups, and existing companies. Reviewing all the proposals and data will be the largest, most comprehensive analysis of carbon dioxide removal solutions in the world to date. 

Each submission will be reviewed by four Expert Reviewers who will provide a high level screening of the basic scientific validity of each concept. Reviewers will assess each team’s progress to date, and the feasibility of their proposal for achieving a fully operational carbon removal solution in the next three years. 

Once the Expert Review is complete, the highest scoring submissions will be passed on to the 12 XPRIZE Carbon Removal Judges, who will ultimately select the 15 Milestone Award Winners. The Judges will dig deeper into the operational details of each proposal, including engineering feasibility, life cycle analysis, scalability, and anticipated cost of carbon removal for each of the proposed solutions.

According to the latest climate science summarized by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in addition to cutting emissions, the world needs carbon removal solutions to help mitigate climate change. One of the $100M XPRIZE Carbon Removal’s primary goals is to increase the global supply of high quality carbon dioxide removal solutions. XPRIZE is proud to introduce the full list of Expert Reviewers, and stay tuned for the Milestone Award Winners on Earth Day (April 22) 2022.