An innovative demonstration plant dedicated to continuous carbon mineralization is now up and running in the Netherlands.
Paebbl, a carbon utilization company, built the groundbreaking demo plant in Rotterdam and launched it in March. The Carbon Herald called the facility "a major leap forward in scaling sustainable construction materials."
Carbon mineralization is a process that stores CO2 as a solid mineral through a chemical reaction, according to the United States Geological Survey. It also prevents carbon from escaping back into the atmosphere.
Per the Carbon Herald, the new demo plant uses a mineral called olivine to absorb CO2 into supplementary cementitious materials. The continuous process offers a low-carbon alternative to traditional cement while still meeting the similar demands of large-scale construction.
Cement production is responsible for around 8% of global carbon pollution, per CBS News. If the cement industry were a country, it would rank third in harmful carbon pollution behind the United States and China.
Human activities have increased atmospheric CO2 by 50% in less than two centuries, according to NASA data. Many of those activities involve the burning of dirty energy sources like coal, oil, and natural gas, which release heat-trapping pollution.
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Much progress has been made in carbon capture technology worldwide over the last year. Researchers in Ohio developed a method to combine direct air carbon capture technologies with geothermal energy. Meanwhile, scientists in Japan developed a unique membrane that captures CO2 and separates it from other gases.
In addition to helping the environment, the Carbon Herald reported that Paebbl's new demo plant is helping the construction sector in other ways. The plant produces materials locally, which assists with rising costs and resources.
Paebbl co-CEO and co-founder Andreas Saari said in a statement that the Paebbl team believes their mission is urgent for the planet.
"With this plant, we're one step closer to high-performance materials and climate impact going hand in hand — on a scale that really matters," Saari said.
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