Canadian environmental consultants, Carbon Sense Solutions, may have just developed a carbon storage method that could reduce global CO2 emissions by as much as 1% a year. Their new method called, CO2 Accelerated Concrete Curing, accelerates the curing process and stores carbon dioxide at the same time. This method applies only to precast concrete, but has the potential to make a huge impact on the world.
The method, also known as concrete carbonation, actually occurs naturally as concrete cures, but up until now has not been considered economical. Carbon Sense Solutions says it has developed a faster way to store more CO2 in concrete, using off the shelf technology, which uses dramatically less energy. They also claim the concrete is more durable, more resistant to shrinking and cracking, and less permeable to water.
As concrete is used more than any other man made material on earth, (the Chinese alone consume 40%!), and concrete is responsible for upwards of 5% of global CO2 emissions, any amount of increase carbon storage in concrete would make a difference. So if Carbon Sense can really deliver as they say it can in Technology Review, the process “has the potential to sequester or avoid 20% of all cement-industry carbon dioxide emissions.” That’s some carbon sucking concrete.
Via Clean Break
Wow! What a fantastic method of removing CO2. If it really works of course. I sure hope so!