Solidia Technologies enters next phase of R&D project with further support from NETL

Solidia Technologies is entering the next phase of its four-year R&D project into the commercialisation of its carbon dioxide-reducing cement and concrete processes with the support of the US Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in the form of an additional US$752 000 in funding.

The ‘Utilisation of CO₂ in High Performance Building and Infrastructure Products’ project is co-funded by Solidia and NETL through its Carbon Storage Technology Programme. It aims to use an alternative to ordinary Portland cement (OPC) to produce a CO₂-cured concrete known as Solidia Concrete™. The alternative cement in question, Solidia Cement™, is manufactured using the same raw materials and equipment as in OPC but with lower energy requirements and CO₂ emissions.

Thus far, the project has centered on the development and optimisation of Solidia’s CO₂-curing process. The next stage of the project will see the capabilities of the technology demonstrated on a prototype scale at a commercial concrete plant. The research objectives for this phase are:

• The demonstration of the basic performance of Solidia Cement™ produced at a commercial plant.
• The demonstration of the utility of this cement in at least six different precast concrete applications.
• The actual commercialisation of concrete manufacturing using CO₂-curing.

“Successful commercialisation of Solidia Concrete technology would benefit national efforts to reduce carbon emissions,” said NETL Carbon Storage Technology Manager, Traci Rodosta. “Using CO₂ rather than emitting the greenhouse gas to the atmosphere is a win-win situation. This project illustrates the potential of the Solidia technology to reduce CO₂ emissions in the near-term, as we continue investigating further solutions as part of the President's ‘all of the above’ energy strategy.”

“DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory continues to be an outstanding partner in the development and commercialisation of Solidia Concrete. Their timely support has been instrumental in moving this sustainable manufacturing technology from the benchtop to the factory floor,” commented Solidia’s Chief Technology Officer, Nicholas DeCristofaro, Ph.D.

Solidia Technologies has collaborated with a number of other organisations on the research and testing of its technology and products. This includes Lafarge, the Linde Group, Rutgers University, Purdue University, Ohio University, the University of South Florida and the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration.

Adapted from press release by Louise Fordham

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/31102014/solidia-enters-next-stage-of-project-with-netl-support-778/