Google Launches $6M R&D Initiative for Carbon Removal and Superpollutant Abatement

Google has unveiled a new research funding initiative, committing more than $6 million to support companies and researchers tackling critical bottlenecks in carbon removal and superpollutant abatement. The program, named the 2026 Google Carbon Removal and Superpollutant Elimination R&D Awards, is designed to accelerate breakthroughs needed to scale carbon removal to the gigaton level and superpollutant reduction to the megaton level, according to Reilly O’Hara, senior program manager of carbon removal at Google.

The funding is distributed across a broad spectrum of climate technologies, with individual project grants ranging from $350,000 to $500,000. Ocean alkalinity enhancement receives the largest share, with up to $450,000 available for field trials assessing environmental and ecological impacts, and an additional $400,000 for research into scaling the approach beyond coastal outfalls. Carbon capture also features prominently, with up to $400,000 for next-generation capture systems for bioenergy facilities using solid sorbents and metal-organic frameworks, and up to $450,000 for efforts to reduce the energy cost of capturing low-concentration CO2.

Biomass and land-based pathways account for much of the remaining budget. Funding includes up to $450,000 for biochar production from difficult, high-moisture waste feedstocks, up to $350,000 for mangrove restoration resilience against sea-level rise, and up to $400,000 for optimizing land use in nature-based removal projects. A collaboration with Google Climate & Sustainability on perennial crop systems offers up to $400,000 per project for as many as two projects, totaling $800,000.

Methane-focused research is another major pillar. Google is offering up to $500,000 for abating diffuse methane emissions through photocatalytic and thermocatalytic systems, another $500,000 for refining atmospheric methane lifetime constraints in partnership with Spark Climate Solutions, and up to $450,000 for validating methane models at small-scale landfill sites. A final research area, also with Spark Climate Solutions, funds tidal wetland restoration frameworks at up to $450,000, aimed at balancing carbon sequestration against methane emissions. Combined, the total potential funding across all areas reaches roughly $5.55 million.

The initiative also includes an open call for proposals addressing critical bottlenecks in either carbon dioxide removal or the abatement of superpollutants, including methane, nitrous oxide, ozone-depleting substances, and fluorinated gases. Google will provide up to $450,000 for a single research project under this track. Universities, research institutions, non-profit organizations, social enterprises, and businesses focused on advancing research or innovation are all eligible to apply. Applications are open now through September 25, 2026, with funds expected to be disbursed by the end of the year.

This latest initiative builds on Google’s growing footprint in the carbon removal market, where it has emerged as one of the most active buyers. In a recent deal, the company signed an agreement with agroforestry firm Thryve.Earth to purchase 260,000 tons of carbon removal credits from a reforestation project in Sulawesi, Indonesia, made through the Symbiosis Coalition—a carbon-buying consortium Google formed in 2024 alongside Meta, Microsoft, and Salesforce. Earlier in March, Google also signed a deal with Commonwealth Sortation to purchase 200,000 biochar-related removal credits by 2030.

Industry observers see the R&D awards as a strategic move to diversify the carbon removal portfolio beyond nature-based solutions, pushing investment into emerging technologies that could deliver more durable and scalable outcomes. By funding early-stage science across ocean, land, and atmospheric pathways, Google is positioning itself to shape the next generation of climate solutions while addressing the scientific gaps that currently limit large-scale deployment. The program’s emphasis on superpollutants, particularly methane, also signals a broader recognition that near-term climate action requires tackling emissions beyond CO2.