Marine Carbon Dioxide Remove (mCDR): Research and Development for Assessing Large Scale Carbon Removal and Local Scale Ocean Acidification Mitigation | NOAA OAR OAP 2023 2007714

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA OAR OAP 2023 2007714

This grant opportunity, titled "Marine Carbon Dioxide Remove (mCDR): Research and Development for Assessing Large Scale Carbon Removal and Local Scale Ocean Acidification Mitigation," is a multi-agency research solicitation led by the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program on behalf of the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP). The core goal is to fund research that strengthens the scientific basis for marine carbon dioxide removal by reducing major uncertainties around how much carbon different ocean-based approaches can actually remove, how long that removal lasts (durability), what side effects might occur (both benefits and risks), and what kinds of governance and regulatory structures would be needed to responsibly test and potentially scale these approaches. In practical terms, the program is trying to move mCDR discussions from theory and small pilot concepts toward evidence-backed conclusions about what works, what does not, and under what conditions any approach might be considered safe, effective, and verifiable.

A central emphasis of the opportunity is advancing knowledge that can confirm or rule out key hypotheses about mCDR. That includes improving understanding of the underlying ocean chemistry and biology that drive carbon uptake and storage, how interventions might alter those processes, and the extent to which carbon removal claims can be supported given ocean mixing, ecosystem responses, and time scales that range from local and near-term to basin-wide and multi-decadal. The opportunity explicitly frames this as decision-relevant research for a future where there could be a scaled "negative carbon ocean industry," meaning large-scale operational activity aimed at drawing down atmospheric CO2 using the marine environment. Because such an industry would raise significant environmental, measurement, and governance questions, the research is positioned as foundational work needed before moving from experiments to broader implementation.

The solicitation is also notable for its broad coalition of federal and non-federal participants. Alongside NOAA components (including the Ocean Acidification Program, the Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Program, and the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System, or U.S. IOOS), participating entities include the Department of Energy (including Fossil Energy and Carbon Management and the Water Power Technologies Office), the Department of the Navy (Office of Naval Research), and the National Science Foundation (Chemical Oceanography Program). Philanthropic participation is also mentioned, including ClimateWorks, with the possibility that additional agencies, sub-entities, and philanthropies could join after the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is released. That mix signals an intent to connect basic ocean science, applied engineering and operations, national security interests, and observing and monitoring infrastructure, rather than treating mCDR as a purely academic topic.

In terms of scope, the NOFO is focused on mCDR implementation-oriented research and the scientific work needed to execute mCDR responsibly and understand its impacts. While the text does not list specific techniques, the framing covers the kinds of questions that typically cut across approaches: the net amount of carbon removed, how to attribute observed changes to an intervention rather than natural variability, unintended ecological or biogeochemical consequences, and whether any local benefits might occur, such as mitigating ocean acidification in specific areas. The title highlights two scales at once: assessing large-scale carbon removal potential while also examining local-scale ocean acidification mitigation, which suggests interest both in global climate relevance and in nearer-term coastal or regional outcomes that might matter for marine resources and communities.

The opportunity also clarifies how it relates to Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV). A separate, complementary Funding Opportunity Announcement focused specifically on MRV technology development is expected from ARPA-E. Applicants are encouraged to think about how projects proposed under this NOAA/NOPP solicitation could align with, feed into, or run alongside the more technology-development-focused ARPA-E MRV program. This is important because credible MRV is one of the biggest bottlenecks for any carbon removal pathway, and in marine settings it can be especially challenging due to dynamic circulation, complex carbon chemistry, and difficulties in tracking carbon over long time frames and large spatial areas. The notice points applicants to the ARPA-E opportunities website for forthcoming details on that separate MRV program.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity under the U.S. Department of Commerce, with awards made as cooperative agreements, implying substantial federal involvement or collaboration during the project period compared with a standard grant. The funding opportunity number is NOAA OAR OAP 2023 2007714, and it is associated with CFDA number 11.017. The expected number of awards is 20, with an award ceiling of $2,000,000 per award. The original posting indicates a creation date of November 22, 2022, and an original closing date of February 28, 2023. Eligibility is listed as "Others," with clarification referenced as being in the additional eligibility information in the full notice, which typically means eligibility may include a range of organizations such as universities, nonprofits, private entities, state or local governments, or other qualified institutions, depending on the detailed NOFO language.

Proposals are to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov, and prospective applicants are directed to sign up through Grants.gov to receive amendments or updates to the announcement. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a coordinated push to generate the applied science and implementation knowledge needed to evaluate mCDR realistically: quantifying removal and durability, characterizing risks and co-benefits, and producing evidence that can inform future oversight, permitting, and decision-making about whether and how any ocean-based carbon removal activities should proceed beyond research and into wider deployment.

• The Department of Commerce in the business and commerce, environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Marine Carbon Dioxide Remove (mCDR): Research and Development for Assessing Large Scale Carbon Removal and Local Scale Ocean Acidification Mitigation" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.017.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 22, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 28, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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