Carbon capture apparatus and method

A method of sequestering carbon, the method comprising:

• receiving water in a first stage of a carbon capture system configured to determine a water quality;
• directing the received water into a settling tank after determining that the water quality meets a prescribed criterion;
• monitoring nitrogen and nutrient density of water in the settling tank;
• evaporating water in the settling tank when nutrient density within the water in the settling tank is too low;
• passing water from the settling tank to a carbon sequestration device having a housing and solar panel that form an interior chamber for receiving the water from the settling tank, the solar panel providing power to at least a portion of the carbon capture system;
• determining that the interior chamber of the carbon sequestration device contains at least a prescribed amount of algae;
• transferring water from the carbon sequestration device to a drying tank after determining that the carbon sequestration device contains at least a prescribed amount of algae;
• and
• drying the algae in the drying tank to produce biomass.

A carbon capture system comprising:

• a first stage configured to determine a water quality;
• a settling tank selectively fluidly coupled with the first stage, the settling stage configured to receive and hold water from the first stage and monitor nitrogen and nutrient density of water it holds, the settling tank configured to evaporate water in the settling tank when nutrient density within the water in the settling tank is below a prescribed threshold;
• a carbon sequestration device selectively fluidly coupled with the settling tank, the carbon sequestration device having a housing and solar panel that form an interior chamber for receiving the water from the settling tank, the carbon sequestration device further comprising a thermal regulator to manage the temperature of water in the interior chamber, the solar panel providing power to at least a portion of the carbon capture system;
• a drying tank selectively fluidly coupled with the carbon sequestration device, the drying tank configured to receive water from the carbon sequestration device after the carbon sequestration device has grown at least a prescribed amount of algae, the drying tank configured to dry the algae in the drying tank to produce biomass.