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Alt Carbon's Journey: From Family Plantation to Climate Solution

Shrey and Sparsh Agarwal, the fourth generation of a Darjeeling tea planting family, faced a stark reality. The tea industry was struggling, and their ancestral plantation was on the verge of being sold. However, the Covid-19 lockdown brought a pivotal moment. Returning to their Darjeeling home, they realized the potential to use their expertise to revive the plantation and combat climate change.

• They established Alt Carbon, a company focused on “enhanced rock weathering,” a man-made process that accelerates nature’s carbon dioxide removal.
• Inspired by the natural weathering process, Alt Carbon uses volcanic dust to enhance soil fertility and capture carbon dioxide, creating a win-win for the environment and the tea industry.

The Power of Frontier: Funding and Credibility

Alt Carbon's innovative approach caught the attention of Frontier, a $1 billion initiative backed by companies like McKinsey, Alphabet, Meta, Shopify, and Stripe. Frontier's investment goes beyond financial support; it provides credibility and validation for Alt Carbon's work.

• Frontier's "advance market commitment" secures the future income of climate change projects, providing essential liquidity for growth.
• Alt Carbon received $500,000 from Frontier, a significant boost for their efforts to scale their solution.

Enhanced Rock Weathering: A Sustainable Solution for Climate Change and Darjeeling Tea

Enhanced rock weathering is a natural process accelerated by Alt Carbon's technology. It involves spreading volcanic dust on the land, allowing rainfall to react with the dust and capture carbon dioxide as it flows into the Bay of Bengal.

• The volcanic dust not only sequesters carbon but also enriches the soil, boosting tea yields.
• Alt Carbon aims to achieve a significant impact: reaching 500,000 hectares of land in the Darjeeling tea belt by 2030, removing 2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

The Darjeeling Revival Project: A Community-Driven Approach

Alt Carbon’s approach is rooted in community involvement and collaboration. They aim to revitalize the Darjeeling tea industry, creating a more sustainable future for tea plantations and the surrounding communities.

• The brothers recognize that while their solution is not a "silver bullet," it provides a meaningful opportunity for positive change.
• The Darjeeling Revival Project showcases their commitment to a holistic approach, tackling climate change while reviving a vital part of India’s cultural heritage.

Alt Carbon’s Impact: Beyond Carbon Sequestration

The success of Alt Carbon's project demonstrates the potential for innovative climate change solutions that benefit both the environment and local communities. The technology is scalable, and the project's success can serve as a model for other struggling agricultural regions facing the impacts of climate change.

• Alt Carbon's work highlights the power of combining scientific advancements with community engagement.
• Their success story inspires hope for a future where economic development and environmental sustainability go hand in hand.

A Sustainable Future for Darjeeling Tea

By tackling climate change while revitalizing the Darjeeling tea industry, Alt Carbon is paving the way for a sustainable future. Their work demonstrates the potential for combining economic prosperity with environmental responsibility. As Alt Carbon scales its solution, the positive impact will ripple through the Darjeeling tea community, providing a model for sustainable agricultural practices and climate change mitigation worldwide.