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Building Product Manufacturers report research results and new funding
DOE Awards $10 Million for Environmental Concrete Study
Building product manufacturer Prometheus Materials has been selected to participate in a $10 million grant from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to develop methods for measuring, reporting, and verifying carbon dioxide (CO2 ) removal in cement and concrete.
The funding will support a collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Additional companies have agreed to support the initiative as well.
A skyward view of a cement facility in a stock image. Image: Shutterstock
This initiative is part of a larger goal to combat the 8% of global CO2 emissions attributed to cement and concrete production, which currently contributes approximately 11 million tons of CO2 to the atmosphere daily.
Concrete is the primary material used in most of the world’s bridges, roads, dams, and buildings. We make more concrete than any other material on earth. Concrete consumption is more than any other resource besides water, according to the MIT Climate Hub.
However, concrete production releases a significant amount of CO2, reportedly over 4 billion metric tons yearly. Reducing concrete emissions aims to lower global pollution and protect the environment.
Prometheus Materials aims to accomplish these project objectives:Cement production...generates most of concrete’s emissions: in fact, a 2016 study found that cement accounts for around 7% of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. MIT Climate Hub
- Advancing measurement techniques for carbon dioxide removal and preparing new tools for market readiness.
- Establishing comprehensive frameworks for life-cycle analysis of net-carbon removal.
- Developing user-friendly software for data analysis and measurement equipment operation.
- Facilitating market transformation, developing the workforce, and engaging with communities to promote the positive impacts of new technologies
Highway Study: Low Carbon Concrete “28% increase in strength”
Carbon Upcycling Technologies reported progress in reducing concrete’s impact on carbon emissions in a related story. The company concluded a joint research project with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the National Road Research Alliance (NRRA).
In its three-year study of 16 unique concrete mixes, Carbon Upcycling Technologies found that in real-world test conditions, the low-carbon “concrete mix demonstrated a 28% increase in strength at 28 days and a 32% increase in strength at 56 days while reducing cementitious content by 12.5%.”
The company’s website says Carbon Upcycling Technology reduces concrete emissions by locking CO2 permanently inside SCMs. SCMs are supplementary cementitious materials that provide an alternative to traditional Portland cement. They can meet concrete performance requirements while reducing CO2 emissions.
Secondly, the Calgary, Canada-based company works with cement and concrete producers to reduce the amount of cement required in concrete and the amount of cement waste.
Will the Boom Continue in Clean Energy Projects?
The Inflation Reduction Act has been credited for driving clean energy manufacturing and projects. The legislation contains funding, programs, and incentives to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. Over $5 billion of incentives are provisioned for low-carbon building materials. The Act is the most significant US federal investment in climate and energy.
A recent report by the Clean Investment Monitor said in its August 2024 release that the Inflation Reduction Act contributed to an investment increase of 71% from the two-year period that preceded the legislation. The report added, “From the second half of 2022 through the first half of this year, actual business and consumer investment totaled $493 billion...”
There was $284 billion in new investment in the manufacture and deployment of clean energy, clean vehicles, building electrification and carbon management technology in the U.S. in the past year, up 36% from the previous year.
A record $76 billion of this investment occurred in the second quarter of 2024, a 27% increase relative to the same period in 2023.
Clean Investment Monitor, August 2024
The Clean Investment Monitor is a joint project of the Rhodium Group and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research (CEEPR).
For a background read on concrete and emissions, See Solving Cement’s Massive Carbon Problem
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