Cemex has announced its most recent investment in frontrunning carbon capture startup, KC8 Capture Technologies (KC8), carried out through its corporate venture capital and open innovation unit, Cemex Ventures. This investment in KC8's technology has the intention of scaling such technologies to new heights in the largest project of its kind to date for KC8.
KC8, which is an Australian-based startup, provides the construction industry with an affordable pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the use of fossil fuels. Traditional solvents used in Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) rely on solvents that can present an environmental hazard, but KC8’s value proposition is their proprietary, non-toxic, non-volatile solvent designed to have no impact on the environment. Moreover, the startup’s breakthrough technology is designed to enable up to 95% CO2 capture, optimise energy efficiency by 15%, and cut down overall operating costs by 50% for partners in heavy industries, such as Cemex, in comparison to conventional amine solvents.
Following this initial investment, Cemex seeks to test KC8’s technology in a Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study at one of its leading cement plants with the aim to capture more than 100 tons per day (TDP) of CO2, an ambition that is 10 times greater than current project scopes.
“The path to carbon neutrality is paved by not only sustainable investments but also active and aggressive clean technology adoption by industry leaders who are producing on a global scale with a considerable impact within construction”, said Gonzalo Galindo, Head of Cemex Ventures. “We are thrilled to help promote the growth of KC8 by connecting the startup to Cemex’s extensive network and resources and to find synergies in order to foster the construction industry revolution.”
“As a global supplier in carbon capture technologies, we are very excited to be working with the global Cemex organisation in the further development of our technology supporting the cement industry,” said Greg Ross, Executive Director. “The support of Cemex Ventures will undoubtedly be a major part of our success and we look forward to further collaboration as we implement larger scale projects.”
This technology has the potential to position Cemex as a leader in carbon capture in the construction industry. It aims to help Cemex reduce its Scope 1 CO2 emissions to reduce the direct greenhouse gas emissions derived from its production processes. This investment bolsters the ambitious climate action goals set out by Cemex’s sustainability program, Future in Action, through its Innovation & Partnerships pillar.
