Displaying items by tag: CO2
World: Investment firm Insight Partners has forecast a composite annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.3% in the global green cement and concrete market between 2023 and 2030. This will result in a total value of US$990m in 2030, compared to US$806m in 2023. Regionally, the firm expects the sharpest growth in South and Central America, with a CAGR of 10% to US$7.9m in 2030. North America is expected to grow at a rate of 5.4% annually, to US$190m, followed by Europe, at 4.5% to US$226m, Middle East and Africa, at 2.9% to US$13m, and Asia-Pacific, at 1.4% to US$553m. In 2023, Asia-Pacific commanded a 61% share of the global market. Europe’s share was 20% and that of North America was 16%.
US: Terra CO2 has begun full-scale trial production of concrete without cement using its novel supplementary cementitious material, Opus Zero. The SCM consists of ground, heated glass spheres made from silicate rock.
Chief scientific officer DJ Lake said “Opus Zero represents a pivotal moment in our journey towards sustainable cement and concrete. Of the very few non-carbon-capture solutions to decarbonising cement, with none proven at scale, Opus Zero stands above the rest for being inherently cost-efficient, practical and scalable for the industry. Today, Opus Zero represents a zero-clinker cement that can be produced with abundant feedstock around the world, does not require opening new mines to scale, and aims to seamlessly fold into the current industry landscape.”
US: The Department of Transportation has announced a US$5m initiative to investigate the use of steel slag in cement and concrete. This will take the form of a collaboration between the Department of Transportation and a selected US-based steel producer and university partner. The initiative seeks to reduce CO2 emissions in the production of building materials. Prospective participants may view the grant opportunity here.
Transport secretary Pete Buttigieg said "We're proud to make this funding available to help develop the next generation of construction materials so that the future of our transport infrastructure is more resilient, more sustainable and made in America.”
Robert Hampshire, deputy assistant secretary for research and technology and chief science officer, said “This funding initiative will develop and advance innovative materials and technologies that support the nation’s goals to decarbonise the transportation sector by 2050, strengthen resilience of the nation’s transportation infrastructure, and address adverse environmental impacts created by the transportation system.”
Partanna to build four new carbon negative binder plants
30 January 2024Middle East/North America: Climate tech start-up Partanna has announced plans for four new plants to produce its carbon negative binder. The plants will be located in the Bahamas, the US and the Gulf region.
Partanna said that the development demonstrates its growing momentum as a construction sector disruptor, offering a sustainable, cost-comparable alternative to cement for users of concrete.
Sweden: Heidelberg Materials Northern Europe has announced its deployment of a 100% electric concrete mixer truck. The producer said that it bought the truck from Volvo.
Heidelberg Materials Northern Europe head of environmental, social and governance (ESG) & public affairs and vice president for Sweden Karin Comstedt Webb said “This partnership is a beacon for industry-wide decarbonisation, bringing us closer to our climate goals in Northern Europe. With a full-load capacity of ready-mixed concrete, our environmentally friendly truck not only heralds a new era in construction transport efficiency, but also confirms our leading position in the European building materials sector.”
TopWerk Group endorses Partanna Global's carbon-negative binder
23 January 2024Germany/US: Concrete production equipment supplier TopWerk Group has formally endorsed Partanna Global's carbon-negative binder as a replacement for cement in the production of concrete using its equipment. Partanna plans to install TopWerk equipment at its four upcoming production plants, under an exclusive three-year agreement. The endorsement is intended to help shift TopWerk's global customers from using cement to using Partanna Global’s binder.
Partanna Global CEO Rick Fox said “TopWerk's endorsement of Partanna represents a major vote of confidence in our technology from one of the most respected names in global construction. We’re humbled and proud that one of the world’s leading concrete machinery producers has given us their backing. We hope this signals to the industry that Portland cement is no longer the only solution in town, and that the days of burning rocks are fast coming to an end.”
TopWerk CEO Robert Gruss said "We believe our exclusive partner Partanna has come up with a truly impressive solution that can contribute to putting this polluting practice to an end. The company’s carbon negative binder is one of the most exciting innovations we have witnessed in our industry for decades. It is the most advanced alternative binder solution in the market and the only credibly carbon negative solution that has the potential to scale globally. Over the last two years, we have rigorously tested their formula and have validated its application as a direct replacement solution for Portland cement. In many ways, their binder actually performs better than the legacy solution.”
The endorsement follows Saudi Arabia-based property developer ROSHN's announcement of an upcoming carbon-negative concrete plant that will use Partanna Global's technology earlier in January 2024.
Neustark announces upcoming rapid expansion in Europe
19 January 2024Switzerland: Carbon capture and storage (CCS) equipment developer and supplier Neustark says it plans to more than double the number of its CO2 storage sites in Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland and the UK to 34 from 14. Neustark’s process turns mineralised captured CO2 and existing mineral waste streams into useful limestone. Building materials producers lease Neustark’s storage sites to produce reduced-CO2 alternatives such as recycled concrete. The sites currently have a total storage capacity of 5000t. Existing customers include Holcim.
Neustark CEO Johannes Tiefenthaler said “Neustark is scaling up rapidly, and we’re well on track to achieve our aim of permanently removing 1Mt of CO₂ by 2030. Our global goal is a series of reliable, region-specific CCS facilities that can be replicated anywhere, offering immediate sustainability benefits to local supply chains.”
Czech Republic: Cemex Czech Republic has successfully commissioned its Prague-Libuš ready-mix concrete batching plant in Prague, following an upgrade. The upgraded plant can now process five types of cements and admixtures, including Cemex’s Vertua reduced-CO2 concretes and recycled aggregates. Cemex Czech Republic has installed two recycled aggregates production plants at the site to process residual concrete.
Cemex’s vice president materials, Central Europe, Ruediger Kuhn said “Our plant in Libuš forms an important part of our operation in the Czech republic, thanks to its interesting location in the wider centre of the capital and in the immediate vicinity of the planned construction of the Prague Metro D line. We are therefore very pleased to have this site reopened following a considerable investment.” He added “The development at this site confirms Cemex’s determination to offer its customers superior quality products while also meeting its sustainability objectives, supporting the circular economy and reducing emissions wherever possible.”
UAE: Saint-Gobain Weber has installed a new system at its Abu Dhabi mortars plant to recover dust from its crusher and re-inject it into the plant’s raw materials stream. This is part of a package of upgrades to lower the Abu Dhabi plant’s consumption of virgin materials, which also reduced its generation of waste by 4380t/yr between 2019 and 2023. The L’Usine Nouvelle newspaper has reported that other investments included the electrification of the plant’s forklift fleet.
Saint-Gobain reduced its Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions by 14%, its non-recycled waste by 78% and its water footprint by 10% in the Middle East between 2017 and 2023.
CarbiCrete secures steel slag supply from Lafarge Canada
15 December 2023Canada: Carbon-negative concrete producer CarbiCrete has signed a deal with Holcim subsidiary Lafarge Canada. Under the deal, Lafarge Canada will process steel slag at its St. Constant cement plant in Québec for use as an ingredient in CarbiCrete’s CO2-cured cement-free concrete.
CarbiCrete partner Patio Drummond produces carbon-negative concrete blocks using CarbiCrete’s technology at its Drummondville concrete block plant in Québec. The company is on a drive to double the production of CarbiCrete blocks. It first partnered with CarbiCrete during trial production of its material in 2018.
Lafarge Canada vice-president of cement Andrew Stewart said “We are committed to reducing our environmental footprint and leading the way in sustainable construction. Our partnership with CarbiCrete is a testament to our dedication to offering sustainable solutions and actively participating in the circular economy.”
CarbiCrete CEO Chris Stern said “Collaborating with Lafarge allows us to leverage long-established infrastructure and years of expertise in processing steel-related by-products. This enables us to make an immediate climate impact as we scale the deployment of our technology which reduces embodied carbon in concrete by both avoiding emissions and removing carbon through mineralisation.” Regarding the on-going scale-up of production at Patio Drummond’s Drummondville plant, Stern said “Increased production of our carbon-negative blocks brings us closer to our common goal of decarbonising production of the world’s most consumed man-made substance.”