Silicon Valley-based decarbonisation technology company Blue Planet has joined the World Cement Association as an associate corporate member.
Blue Planet has developed a carbon capture and utilisation system that is designed to permanently removes carbon dioxide from the air, cost effectively. Its technology uses CO2 as a raw material for making carbonate rocks which are used in place of natural limestone rock mined from quarries, which is the principal component of concrete. Then CO2 from flue gas is converted to carbonate by contacting CO2 containing gas with a water-based capture solutions.
The WCA says this process differentiates Blue Planet from most carbon capture methods as the captured CO2 does not require a purification step, which is an energy and capital intensive process.
“With cement being the source of roughly 7% of global carbon dioxide emissions, and current technologies unable to achieve the levels of decarbonisation needed to meet the Paris climate goals, it is vital for our members to be engaging with innovative technology providers developing scalable commercial solutions for CO2 mitigation,” said WCA CEO Ian Riley.
“By bringing the latest technologies and best practice to the attention of our industry members, we increase the chance of evolving a sustainable cement ecosystem. I am therefore especially pleased to be welcoming Blue Planet, and look forward to their input on improving industry standards worldwide.”
Blue Planet has been involved in several major projects including at San Francisco International Airport, where its limestone-coated lightweight aggregate was used in concrete mixes.
“Blue Planet was launched specifically to mitigate global CO2 emissions by transforming it into synthetic limestone aggregate for use in concrete, so our mission is very closely aligned with WCA’s efforts in the climate change arena,” said Blue Planet founder and CEO Brent Constantz. “We have been impressed with WCA’s work towards decarbonisation and the quality of its member support and engagement programmes, so we are very much looking forward to collaborating on our shared goals.”
