A system has an alkaline capture stream as an input, an alkaline depleted stream as an output, a carbon dioxide removal unit operation having a return stream as an output, and a series of electrolyzers, each electrolyzer to receive a CO2-rich input stream and produce an acidified output stream that is more acidic than the CO2-rich input stream, and to receive a return stream and produce a basified output stream that is more alkaline than the input return stream. A method of removing carbon dioxide from an atmosphere and generating hydrogen includes capturing carbon dioxide from an atmosphere in an alkaline capture solution, sending the alkaline solution as a CO2-rich input solution to a series of electrolyzers in a CO2-rich path, removing carbon dioxide from the acidified CO2-rich solution at a removal unit to produce a CO2-poor solution, sending the CO2-poor solution to the series of electrolyzers in a return path, and returning the return solution to the alkaline capture stream. An electrolyzer is also discussed.