Idemitsu backs German carbon-removal startup InPlanet with debt financing
What's the deal? Idemitsu KosanDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has provided debt financing to InPlanet GmbHDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a Munich-based carbon-removal startup, through its US subsidiary Idemitsu Americas Holdings (IAH)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The deal, announced in September 2026, also sets up broader cooperation across North America, Japan, and Asia.
What's the endgame? Founded in 2022, InPlanet uses Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. The method spreads finely crushed silicate rock across tropical farmland, speeding up natural weathering that converts CO₂ into stable forms for long-term storage.
The technique also improves soil quality and cuts reliance on fertiliser and lime, InPlanet says. More than 70% of its staff are based in Brazil, where it works with local quarries and farmers.
Why now? Durable carbon removal is drawing growing interest as governments and companies target net zero by 2050. InPlanet began supplying independently verified ERW credits in December 2024; those credits earned an "A" rating from BeZero Carbon.
The startup has also signed long-term offtake contracts and secured carbon delivery insurance through CFCDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, steps meant to strengthen the credibility of its credit business.
Why it matters: Idemitsu called InPlanet a promising partner in the ERW field, pointing to its scientific rigour and field experience. "This financing is an important step in our efforts to deepen understanding of durable CDR and support its growth," said Masanori Abe, president of IAH.
The signal: A Japanese energy major lending to a European carbon-removal startup shows how legacy oil-and-gas firms are moving to build positions in durable CDR — a market still early in its shift from pilots to commercial scale.
