Concrete is the most commonly used building material in the world, and the second most used substance after water. Its central ingredient, Portland cement, is a leading source of global industrial emissions—and demand for cement is on track to grow 23 percent by 2050. However, through multiple processes and technological breakthroughs, concrete also has the extraordinary potential to store carbon in mineral form, locking away emissions that would otherwise end up in the atmosphere.
This panel will feature representatives from both established and emerging companies pioneering carbon capture and utilization (CCU) in the cement and concrete sectors. Panelists will discuss the technical dimensions, climate impact and real world applications of their CCU offerings; the state of the market for carbon-based concrete alternatives; and the critical role of public policy in accelerating progress.
Published January 14, 2021
Moderator
Chris Neidl
Co-Founder, The OpenAir Collective
Christopher Neidl is a clean energy policy advocate, educator and project advisor with thirteen years of experience facilitating on-grid and off-grid clean energy adoption in the United States, Asia and Africa. Chris is currently a senior research consultant for the non-profit organization Arc Finance. In this role, he is tasked with producing a series of reports for Indian public sector stakeholders concerning the potential role of the Indian microfinance sector in advancing the central government’s rural energy access objectives.
Speakers
Apoorv Sinha
Founder & CEO, Carbon Upcycling Technologies
Apoorv Sinha’s Carbon Upcycling Technologies (CUT) has introduced a nanotech coating called AlphaCarbon, which protects materials like concrete against acids and corrosion. It’s just one of Sinha’s efforts to convert carbon dioxide into a range of solid nanoparticles, useful for all manner of materials.
Christie Gamble
Senior Director of Sustainability, CarbonCure
As Senior Director of Sustainability for CarbonCure Technologies, Christie Gamble drives CarbonCure’s mission to reduce 500 megatons of annual carbon emissions from the cement and concrete industry. CarbonCure manufactures a technology that enables concrete providers to utilize post-industrial carbon dioxide in their manufacturing processes in order to achieve significant embodied carbon reductions without compromising concrete quality.
Brett Henkel
Co-Founder & VP, Strategic Accounts & Government Affairs, Svante
Brett Henkel was instrumental in creating the process and the hardware used to prove the technology’s effectiveness as well as mobilizing external support throughout the path to becoming a successful innovation. Prior to launching Svante, he was the program manager for QuestAir Technologies’ compact hydrogen production system with its partner, ExxonMobil. Brett received his BSc in Physics with distinction, and a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Victoria.
Rahul Shendure
CEO, CO2Concrete
Rahul is a successful entrepreneur and investor in climate- and bio-tech, having started, led, and exited multiple companies. He spun CarbonBuilt out of UCLA’s Institute for Carbon Management after being unable to find a compelling low carbon concrete startup to invest in.