Cemex, S.A.B. de C.V. (Monterrey, Mexico) announced that it is working together with Carbon8 Systems to evaluate the company’s patented carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology and how CO2 captured during the cement production process can be used to develop low-carbon construction products, such as alternative aggregates.
Based in the UK, Carbon8 Systems is a leader in the permanent capture of CO2 and mineralization of thermal residues to create carbon-infused, sustainable products. The company developed a patented chemical process called Accelerated Carbonation Technology (“ACT”) where industrial residues are treated with captured CO2 emissions to transform them into valuable, low-carbon products.
ACT has made significant contributions to the circular economy for more than 10 years, delivering commercial and environmental benefits that include diverting waste from landfills, permanently capturing CO2 and replacing carbon-intensive products with low-carbon, sustainable alternatives. ACT is applied to several industries, including cement, waste to energy, biomass, among others.
Both CEMEX and Carbon8 Systems recognize the benefit of mineralization as a carbon sink. Therefore, they may explore the application of the technology to different byproducts as well as the manufacturing of products such as alternative aggregates and supplementary cementitious materials.
Under the initiative, Carbon8 Systems will evaluate CEMEX byproducts and how they can be used to develop low-carbon or even carbon-negative products through ACT. The initial focus of the program will be to assess byproducts from CEMEX’s Rüdersdorf cement plant in Germany and Rugby cement plant in the UK. They will also evaluate the suitability of a lightweight aggregate product created from the byproducts for sale in each market. The program could later be deployed to other CEMEX cement sites.
“This initiative with Carbon8 Systems is another example of the work we are doing with partners across industries, academia, and startups to tap into the latest innovation and disruptive technologies to achieve our ambition of delivering net-zero CO2 concrete globally to all of our customers,” said Juan Romero, Executive Vice President Sustainability, Commercial, and Operations Development of CEMEX.
John Pilkington, Chief Executive of Carbon8 Systems, said: “We are delighted that CEMEX has asked us to work with them; our carbonation technology, demonstrated at cement plants in Europe and Canada, offers CEMEX and the global cement industry a proven CCUS solution.”
This effort is part of CEMEX’s roadmap for its ambitious climate action goals, including delivering globally net-zero CO2 concrete by 2050. This is one of several initiatives under the company’s Future in Action program, which includes investing in promising technologies that the company will need to achieve its goal of net-zero concrete by 2050.