Blue Planet has developed a carbon capture and use system that permanently removes carbon dioxide and turns it into synthetic limestone.
The process captures carbon dioxide emissions from bioenergy power plants, natural gas and coal, steel plants, cement plants and refineries, as well as directly from the atmosphere. Blue planet then converts the dilute carbon dioxide captured in gas streams to carbonate for mineralization as synthetic limestone.
According to the company, synthetic limestone can replace naturally extracted limestone aggregates as the main constituent of concrete, permanently isolating captured carbon dioxide.
“New technologies are one of our best tools to turn the tide on the continued path of climate change,” said investor Leonardo DiCaprio. “I am happy to support Blue Planet’s continued dedication and innovation in our joint effort for a more sustainable future. New processes and evolving systems like theirs are essential in reducing the impact we have on our planet. “
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Blue Planet’s proprietary process creates synthetic limestone sand and gravel that can be used to make carbon neutral and carbon negative concrete, with the same structural integrity as conventional concrete.
By offsetting the carbon footprint of cement in concrete, Blue Planet’s aggregate more than offsets the carbon footprint of the cement component, making concrete a net carbon storage sink.
The process also creates recycled concrete aggregate as a by-product, reducing the need to extract and consume aggregate.
Unlike other carbon capture methods which require an energy-intensive carbon dioxide purification step for liquefaction, transport and injection, the Blue Planet system directly converts the diluted carbon dioxide into gas from combustion to carbonate, which avoids significant costs and parasitic charges for purifying carbon dioxide. gas from a diluted stream in order to liquefy it for underground storage.
Instead, the synthetic limestone rock produced is distributed to concrete factories to be incorporated into concrete, where carbon dioxide is permanently stored.
Most carbon reduction programs are not permanent and allow captured carbon dioxide to re-enter the atmosphere at some point. The production and distribution of synthetic concrete aggregates makes operations profitable. Factories can be financed, owned and operated under well-established project finance structures without subsidies.
Blue Planet’s first plant is under construction in California, next to a natural gas power plant and the Sacramento Delta, for transporting raw materials and finished products by barge.
Blue Planet concrete has already been incorporated into Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), establishing a cost-neutral public procurement model of low-carbon building materials for carbon mitigation.
Blue Planet Systems Corporation is a clean tech startup located in Los Gatos, Calif. That develops technology, products and services related to economically sustainable carbon capture and mineralization, where carbon dioxide is sequestered permanently in building materials for beneficial reuse, especially as aggregate for concrete.
