The Argument for Classifying Make Sunsets as a DePIN
Who's gonna tell them?
Introduction: What is Make Sunsets?
Make Sunsets is a bold climate tech startup with a mission to mitigate global warming by deploying reflective aerosol particles into the stratosphere, mimicking the cooling effects of volcanic eruptions. Their technology focuses on leveraging sulfur dioxide (SO₂)-filled balloons, released about 20km from Earth’s surface, to reflect sunlight and reduce planetary temperatures. While their work has sparked debates over geoengineering ethics and efficacy, Make Sunsets has already gained significant traction as a pioneer in this space.
One of the most compelling aspects of Make Sunsets’ approach is its efficiency: 1 gram of SO₂ offsets 1 ton of CO₂ emissions for one year, equating to one Cooling Credit. This staggering ratio highlights the potential for small-scale interventions to yield outsized climate benefits.
Traction and Progress
Make Sunsets is far from a mere concept; they’ve actively deployed their technology, scaling efforts to launch balloons globally. Here’s a snapshot of their traction:
Community Participation: The company encourages individuals to join their balloon launches, providing a hands-on opportunity to participate in planetary cooling. DIY balloon kits and Cooling Credit subscriptions allow supporters to engage directly in the process.
Media and Thought Leadership: Make Sunsets has been featured in major publications like Inc. and discussed in forums like Uncharted Territories and Keep Cool, sparking public and expert conversations about their approach.
Focus on Transparency: Monthly updates about deployments and plans position them as a disruptive player in the geoengineering space.
Additionally, targeted deployments in high-impact regions such as Southeast Asia, where global warming effects are particularly pronounced, could amplify their impact. Beyond planetary cooling, Make Sunsets could present alternative revenue streams for developing countries, incentivizing participation in climate initiatives and fostering local engagement.
Why Make Sunsets Makes Sense as a DePIN Network
Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePINs) are reshaping industries by coordinating physical activities through decentralized technologies. Make Sunsets embodies many characteristics of a DePIN, even if unintentionally:
1. Decentralized Deployment:
The distributed nature of balloon launches aligns well with the DePIN model, where a network of participants contributes to deploying infrastructure. By tokenizing Cooling Credits, Make Sunsets could enable a global community to fund and execute launches collectively.
2. Community Ownership:
DePINs thrive on shared ownership and incentives. Introducing a governance model could empower participants to decide on launch locations, technologies, and scale. Democratizing geoengineering could increase public trust and transparency.
3. Scalability Through Incentives:
Incentivizing balloon launches through tokenized rewards could accelerate deployment. Participants could earn and trade Cooling Credits representing their contribution to planetary cooling, fostering engagement and scalability.
4. Data as a Network Utility:
Make Sunsets generates valuable atmospheric data. By integrating this into a decentralized network, they could create a data marketplace, attracting researchers, governments, and corporations to optimize climate interventions.
5. Alignment with Climate Web3 Innovations:
Blockchains enhance transparency and trust through smart contracts and verifiable data oracle systems. Launch milestones, cooling credit issuance, and funding allocation could all be automated and verifiable.
Additional DePIN Applications
Geoengineering at scale requires coordination, funding, and legitimacy—challenges DePINs are uniquely suited to solve. Expanding on the model:
Emission-Based Token Model: A declining emissions curve tied to the “point of no return” for climate change could guide token issuance. For example, fewer tokens could be emitted as global temperature trends stabilize, incentivizing participation when most impactful.
Geographic Reward Multipliers: A multiplier system could prioritize launches in high-impact regions near the equator or areas experiencing acute climate risks.
Streamlined User Experience: Cooling credit buyers could pay with traditional methods like credit cards while backend systems handle crypto conversions. Existing infrastructure in the crypto space already supports this level of abstraction.
Incentive Adjustment for Climate Trends: Tokens could be tied to global warming metrics. If temperature trends stabilize, emissions reduce, creating a feedback loop that rewards actions when they’re most impactful. This creates interesting synergies with decentralized weather data collection networks like WeatherXM and Nubila, and decentralized environmental monitoring data networks like Ambient however, safeguards would be necessary to prevent gaming the system.
Challenges and Opportunities
While Make Sunsets focuses on SO₂ for cooling, questions remain about its classification as a product or byproduct in today’s economy. Additionally, the feasibility of widespread hydrogen and helium gas production for balloon deployment and the dissonance between public climate narratives and actionable short-term solutions present areas for further exploration.
Conclusion
Make Sunsets stands at the forefront of an urgent and innovative effort to combat climate change. By embracing decentralized principles and leveraging blockchain technology, they could accelerate their mission, engage a global audience, and solidify their role as a leader in climate tech. Geoengineering at scale could become a reality through DePIN networks—and Make Sunsets is already halfway there.
Follow Make Sunsets on X