CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MEMBER of Parliament (MP) Greg McLean, will tour the Alberta Carbon Conversion Technology Centre (ACCTC) on July 20, 2021, to show his support for Calgary-based carbon utilization company, Carbon Upcycling Technologies (Carbon Upcycling) that produces a CO2-embedded concrete additive. Accompanying the tour will be CEO of Lafarge Western Canada, Brad Kohl, executives from InnoTech, and representatives from Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA).
Attendees will visit the Carbon Upcycling owned facility that boasts nine reactors, the largest of which produces 20 tonnes of concrete additive per batch. The carbon-enhanced concrete additives make concrete stronger and more sustainable with the ability to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete by up to 25 percent on a lifecycle basis. The company’s overall goal is 600 million tonnes of carbon reduction by 2030.
Carbon Upcycling has just recently announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Lafarge. The goal of the partnership is to integrate Carbon Upcycling’s CO2-embedded concrete additive into Lafarge’s Canadian and US operations, while exploring opportunities to expand Carbon Upcycling’s operating capacity by developing larger processing facilities. "We're eager to investigate the applicability of the Carbon Upcycling technology in our own operations, and are pleased to take this step following our non-binding MOU", says Brad Kohl.
MP Greg McLean, remarks that “as industry embraces the need to decarbonize, Carbon Upcycling is one of the Canadian companies showing leadership by providing real solutions that fit with our objectives. Their innovative technology makes improvements in the strength and quality of existing building materials, while helping reduce carbon emissions. These benefits help multiple sectors and position Canada for economic leadership and growth. Unleashing these technological innovations demonstrates real actions that will lead to tangible results in our efforts to advance our environmental goals in the context of our unique Canadian economy.”
Financial support from ERA has helped Carbon Upcycling scale its production capacity for commercial operations by over 10 million times as part of the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE. ERA CEO, Steve MacDonald, states that “advancing carbon utilization products and processes offers incredible potential for both new market growth and greenhouse gas reductions. ERA's support for Carbon Upcycling's technology is a great example of how Alberta is helping to deliver improved environmental and economic outcomes both at home and around the world.”
InnoTech manages and operates the carbon capture system at the ACCTC site. Steve McMahon, COO at InnoTech Alberta, says, “expedited technology development to turn ideas into tangible marketable products requires commitment, technical competency, and creative minds. Scaling up a benchtop reactor to an operational industrial scale in less than three years is remarkable. InnoTech Alberta is proud to be part of this expedited innovation by supporting the Carbon Upcycling Technologies operation.”
Carbon Upcycling plans to scale the technology further with larger units producing upwards of 100 tonnes of concrete additives per batch. The company’s vision is to usher in the carbon age by using the waste of today to build a better tomorrow with more sustainable materials.
Natalie Giglio, Carbon Upcycling’s Business Operations and Development Associate, urged the local construction community to reach out to discuss how they actively participate in deploying green, high performance construction materials in their projects. “We believe that CO2 can be used to produce not just greener, but stronger and more resilient infrastructure. We encourage all members of the construction community, architects, engineers, developers, contractors, and even homeowners to reach out to us on how they use low-carbon concrete in their next project.” Carbon Upcycling’s carbon-enhanced concrete additives are available and ready for deployment in Southern Alberta, please contact Natalie to scope out your next project.
