微軟礦化碳移除新突破

微軟（Microsoft）宣布與加拿大卑詩省新創公司Arca合作，擴大其碳移除技術布局。這項協議旨在支持Arca以工業礦化方式去除並封存大氣中的二氧化碳，推進微軟實現「2030年成為碳負排放企業、2050年移除創立以來所有碳排」的長期目標。

Microsoft has announced a partnership with British Columbia-based startup Arca to expand its carbon removal portfolio through industrial mineralization. The agreement supports Microsoft’s long-term climate goals to become carbon negative by 2030 and to remove all historical emissions by 2050.

根據Arca官網說明，該公司利用採礦後的廢棄礦渣（mine tailings），透過「高能量激發」技術提高其化學反應性，進而加速自然界中的碳礦化過程。這些經處理的礦渣暴露於空氣中後，可快速吸收並固定二氧化碳，而Arca也部署自動化探測車持續監測碳封存速率，以確保數據可驗證與透明。

According to Arca’s website, the company uses mine tailings - waste left after mineral extraction - and applies “high-intensity energy bursts” to make them more chemically reactive, accelerating the natural process of

Arca執行長Paul Needham表示：「我們正以一種廢棄物（礦渣）去中和另一種廢棄物（大氣中的過量二氧化碳），最終實現減廢與環境修復的雙贏。」他指出，這次與微軟的合作不僅驗證工業礦化作為耐久碳移除技術的可行性，更展示其具備全球氣候行動所需的規模潛力。

carbon mineralization. Once exposed to air, the treated tailings absorb and sequester carbon dioxide. Autonomous rovers continuously monitor and verify the rate of CO₂ capture, ensuring data transparency and accountability.

微軟碳移除計畫負責人Phil Goodman指出，Arca先前完成的全規模礦化示範案讓微軟對該技術的有效性與永久性更具信心。該示範於今年早些時候在一處運作中的礦場完成，Arca現正計畫從試驗階段擴展至「百萬噸級」碳封存運作。

“We have a unique opportunity to use one form of waste (mine tailings) to neutralize another (excess atmospheric CO₂),” said Arca CEO Paul Needham. “This partnership with Microsoft validates industrial mineralization as a viable, durable, and scalable carbon removal pathway that can meaningfully contribute to global climate goals.”

近年來，微軟持續布局自然型與技術型碳移除方案。

Phil Goodman, Microsoft’s Director of Carbon Dioxide Removal Programs, said Arca’s first full-scale mineralization demonstration gave the company confidence in the effectiveness and permanence of the technology. Conducted earlier this year at an active mine site, the project marks a key milestone as Arca now aims to scale up to “million-tonne operations.”

繼與氣候科技公司UNDO簽署第三份強化岩石風化（enhanced rock weathering）協議後，本次合作進一步拓展至礦化封存領域。

Microsoft has increasingly diversified its carbon removal strategy, exploring both nature-based and technology-based approaches. The Arca deal follows the company’s third and largest enhanced rock weathering agreement with climate

今年微軟也與CO280簽訂另一項岩石風化合約，並投資多項以林業與生物炭為基礎的碳移除專案，甚至超越Google，締造全球最大規模的生物炭移除交易。

tech firm UNDO. Earlier this year, Microsoft also signed another rock weathering contract with CO280, secured multiple forestry-based offtake deals, and surpassed Google in executing the world’s largest biochar removal transaction.

此外，微軟與碳管理公司Carbon Direct於七月共同發布新版《碳移除標準與指引》，涵蓋九種碳移除技術途徑，包括碳礦化，顯示科技業者正積極以多元策略支持全球淨零轉型。

In July, Microsoft and carbon management firm Carbon Direct jointly released updated Carbon Dioxide Removal Standards and Guidance, covering nine removal pathways including mineralization - further underscoring the tech giant’s commitment to advancing credible and scalable climate solutions.