Zurich Insurance Signs Multi-Year Carbon Removal Agreement with Nellie

Zurich Insurance Group has entered into a long-term carbon dioxide removal agreement with Nellie, marking a significant milestone in commercial-scale engineered carbon removal. The deal reinforces Zurich’s commitment to verified carbon sequestration as part of its broader decarbonization efforts.

Following three years of development, Nellie has secured its first major offtake agreement, transitioning its bioengineered CO2 removal system from pilot operations to full-scale deployment. This advancement demonstrates the economic and environmental viability of engineered carbon removal solutions.

Nellie’s technology involves the production of biomass that absorbs CO2 during growth. The biomass is then converted into biochar, which is used in UK agriculture. According to Nellie, its operational system boundary provides near-total control over the removal and sequestration process, ensuring effectiveness and traceability.

Zurich’s investment aligns with its broader sustainability strategy, reinforcing the principle that carbon removal should only be used after all other emission reduction measures have been exhausted. “Removing CO2 should only happen when an organization has done all it can to prevent their emissions in the first place. And this is what’s happening here,” Nellie stated.

The agreement highlights the commercial viability of carbon removal technologies. Nellie emphasized that Zurich’s approach reflects its core philosophy: “Stop what you can and remove the rest.”

Nellie also acknowledged Zurich’s sustainability team for their commitment, humorously referencing their site visit: “The muddy shoes suffered during their site visit over the summer was hopefully worthwhile!”