New partnerships between cement manufacturers and tech start-ups, to partner on the development of low carbon concrete, have been announced by the industry's leading membership body, the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA).
EnviCore, based in Canada, Queens Carbon and Chement, both in the USA, and NeoCrete in New Zealand, were all shortlisted last year, as part of the GCCA’ Innovandi Open Challenge Programme. They have all now formed a partnership with at least five GCCA member companies and leading manufacturers, who will support and evaluate their technologies.
Their ideas could help transform the way concrete is made and significantly reduce its emissions. The four start-ups will be given unique access to industry plants, labs, key networks and the expertise and infrastructure of the leading manufacturers to accelerate the development of their technology. Each start-up will also be showcasing its technologies and progress as part of a demo on 6th June in Bangkok, Thailand, as part of the GCCA’s CEO and Leaders Conference.
Concrete is the world’s most-used man-made material, and vital for so much of our modern infrastructure, including homes, roads, tunnels and bridges. But because it is so widely used, it currently accounts for around 7% of global CO2 emissions. The development of new materials and technology are key parts of the GCCA’s 2050 Net Zero Concrete Roadmap.
Claude Loréa, the GCCA’s Cement, Innovation and ESG Director, said the four start-ups have impressed us at every stage of the process. “Developing low carbon concrete is a challenge, as we will need something both scalable and ultimately affordable. Innovation is the key, and it’s great to see the start-ups agreeing partnerships with manufacturers. The GCCA and our member companies really look forward to working closely with each start-up to take their ideas to the next stage.
Meanwhile, the GCCA has also announced that a record 29 start-ups, from nearly 100 applicants, have all been shortlisted for Open Challenge 3, which will focus on the further development of carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) technology. The development of CCUS is expected to account for around 36% of the industry’s emission reductions, in line the GCCA’s 2050 Net Zero Concrete Roadmap. They will all now be invited to pitch their ideas to GCCA members later this month.
