Google Signs Its Biggest Carbon-Removal Deal in Brazil

Google has agreed to its largest carbon-removal deal yet, supporting a project in Brazil by developer Terradot that aims to reduce methane emissions from rice farming while capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Covering more than 200,000 hectares in Rio Grande do Sul, the initiative is the world’s largest enhanced rock-weathering project to date, using crushed rock to accelerate a natural process that removes CO₂ from the air.

The project is designed to generate 1 million metric tons of methane-abatement credits by 2030 and 1 million tons of carbon-removal credits by 2040, with the two credits verified separately. Google said the model could serve as a blueprint for similar projects, while Terradot plans to expand pilots to other countries. Rice cultivation accounts for an estimated 10% to 12% of global methane emissions, making methane reduction an increasingly important part of climate efforts.

Google and Terradot did not disclose the price of the credits, but Terradot CEO James Kanoff said the new project would cost less than previous deals and represents progress toward the industry target of $100 per ton. Terradot said reducing verification costs could further improve the economics of enhanced rock weathering. The companies said the approach could eventually be expanded across Brazil’s 1.5 million hectares of rice fields and replicated in major rice-producing countries such as India and Vietnam.

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