out of renewable energy, Equatic does it all. The company spun out of a research initiative at the University of California, Los Angeles and already has two small pilot plants in Los Angeles and Singapore. Each plant takes in ocean water and then runs an electrical current through it. That splits water molecules, freeing up the hydrogen for Equatic to sell for fuel.
For instance, Fleming worries that if Equatic’s technique alters the balance of minerals in the ocean, it could affect shell-building creatures that are already struggling with human-caused ocean acidification. Since these critters form the base of marine food chains, what happens to them has ripple effects across ecosystems.
Aside from Boeing, Equatic has other big-name backers. It launched with more than $30 million in funding from the US Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and other foundations. Former BP CEO John Browne, who is now chair of climate tech venture BeyondNetZero, is also chair of Equatic’s advisory board.