A Photosynthetic Route to Carbon-Negative Portland Limestone Cement

Default ARPA-E Project Image

Program:
HESTIA
Award:
$3,193,015
Location:
Boulder, Colorado
Status:
ACTIVE
Project Term:
09/29/2022 - 09/28/2025
Website:

Technology Description:

The University of Colorado Boulder will manufacture and commercialize a net-CO2-storing portland limestone cement using biogenic limestone (CaCO3) produced via photosynthesis that will store more than 275 kgCO2 and cost less than $100 per ton of cement. Most cement-related CO2 emissions are caused by heating CaCO3 to produce calcium oxide (quicklime), which releases CO2 in the process. The proposed technology will produce biogenic CaCO3 using calcifying microalgae that sequester and store CO2 in mineral form through biological direct air capture via photosynthesis and calcification. Using this CaCO3 in biogenic cement production leads to a net carbon neutral carbon cycle.

Potential Impact:

HESTIA projects will facilitate the use of carbon storing materials in building construction to achieve net carbon negativity by optimizing material chemistries and matrices, manufacturing, and whole-building designs in a cost-effective manner.

Security:

HESTIA technologies will reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment.

Environment:

Building materials and designs developed under HESTIA will draw down and store CO2 from the atmosphere.

Economy:

A variety of promising carbon storing materials are being explored and commercialized for building construction. Currently these materials are generally scarcer, cost more per unit, and/or face performance challenges (e.g., flame resistance for biogenic carbon-containing materials). HESTIA seeks technologies that overcome these barriers while nullifying associated emissions and increasing the total amount of carbon stored in the finished product.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Laurent Pilon
Project Contact:
Prof. Wil Srubar
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
wsrubar@colorado.edu

Partners

National Renewable Energy Laboratory
University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Related Projects

• Aspen Products Group - High Performance, Carbon Negative, Building Insulation
• BamCore - Maximizing Carbon Negativity in Next Generation Bamboo Framing Materials
• Biomason - SOTERIA - Carbon Negative Bioconcrete Unit Production Concept
• Clemson University - An Entirely Wood Floor System Designed for Carbon Negativity, Future Adaptability, and End of Life De/Re/Construction
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) - Cutting the Carbon from Insulation Cellulose-Mycelium Composite Material
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) - High-Performing Carbon-Negative Concrete Using Low Value Byproducts from Biofuels Production
• Northeastern University - 4C2B: Century-scale Carbon-sequestration in Cross-laminated Timber Composite Bolted-steel Buildings
• Oregon State University (OSU) - Cellulose Cement Composite (C3) for Residential Construction
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) - The Circular Home: Development and Demonstration of a Net-Negative-Carbon, Reusable Residence
• Purdue University - Strong and CO2 Consuming Living Wood for Buildings
• SkyNano Technologies - CO2mposite: Recycling of CO2, Carbon Fiber Waste, and Biomaterials into Composite Panels for Lower Embodied Carbon Building Materials
• Texas A&M University - Hempcrete 3D Printed Buildings for Sustainability and Resilience
• University of Colorado, Boulder (CU-Boulder) - A Photosynthetic Route to Carbon-Negative Portland Limestone Cement
• University of Maryland (UMD) - Modular Design and Additive Manufacturing of Interlocking Superinsulation Panel from Bio-based Feedstock for Autonomous Construction
• University of Pennsylvania - High Performance Building Design with 3D-printed Carbon Absorbing Funicular Structures
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT) - Lignin-derived Carbon Storing Foams for High Performance Insulation
• University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) - Carbon-negative Ready-mix Concrete Building Components Through Direct Air Capture

Release Date:
06/13/2022