The use of Terra's materials proves it is a commercially-ready solution for decreasing the carbon footprint of concrete, the world's second most used material.
GOLDEN, Colo., Sept. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Terra CO2 Technology, the scalable low carbon alternative for cement production, announced today the preliminary results of their OPUS supplementary cementitious material used in the Minnesota Road Research Facility (MnROAD) on Interstate 94. For the project, Terra delivered 20 tons of their proprietary OPUS SCM (Supplementary Cementitious Material). Terra's materials were used without the need for adaptations or new investments, proving OPUS's sustainable approach is ready to be used with the current infrastructure.
Terra's innovative material science technology makes low-carbon concrete possible by creating cementitious materials from a wide variety of abundant local feedstocks and even waste products, dramatically reducing cement's GHG emissions. Terra's proprietary manufactured SCM solution produces 70% lower CO2 emissions and 90% lower NOx emissions than the Portland cement it replaces.
"There are thousands of miles of road within the public network of the United States alone, all of which require cement to create," said Bill Yearsley, CEO of Terra CO2. "With cement production as one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions globally, it's urgent that we switch to a low carbon alternative, and the Minnesota highway is an important catalyst for making the switch."
"The ongoing test at the MnROAD test facility, operated by the Minnesota Department of Transportation and supported by the National Road Research Alliance (NRRA), focuses on materials that will enable sustainable construction. For mixture design, the project had a performance target rather than a prescribed concrete mixture allowing the additive suppliers to push the boundaries of cement substitution," said Larry Sutter, from Sutter Engineering LLC, who manages the technical aspects of this project which includes testing constructability and performance evaluation of concrete mixtures. "Terra's OPUS SCM was utilized at the highest substitution level of all the products tested as an SCM in the project and met the target flexural strength."
Terra's concrete mixture had the highest substitution of Portland cement at 35%. Documented by both MnDOT and an independent lab, concrete made with Terra's Opus SCM achieved project specification flexural and compressive strength easily, about half the usual time, making a strong case that higher substitution levels are possible above 35%.
"Braun Intertec Corporation is excited to partner with Terra CO2 on the MnROAD Research project to help develop concrete with lower CO2 footprints," said Alfred Gardiner, Braun Intertec's Director of Concrete Consulting. "With the ongoing shortage of fly ash in North America, the possibility of manufacturing fly ash from aggregate mining products and waste will help the concrete industry produce sustainable, durable concrete which will provide long term infrastructure for our nation. The material performed very well throughout qualification testing and in the construction phase.
Terra CO2 recently announced a $46M Series A, bringing the company's total funding to $61M. The funds are invested in accelerating research and development in low-carbon material science, scaling the organization, and continuing commercializing plant technology to support manufacturing its first commercial products. Terra currently has plans to break ground on its first commercial plant in 2023, capable of producing 250,000 tons of product annually.
To learn more about Terra CO2, please visit: https://terraco2.com/
ABOUT TERRA CO2
Terra CO2 is the scalable low carbon alternative for cement production. Responsible for 8% of the world's CO2 emissions, cement is used in producing concrete, the world's second-most used material after water. Their unique technology allows Terra to create cementitious materials from a wide variety of feedstocks or waste products, dramatically reducing the greenhouse gas emissions caused by cement production. Terra's proprietary Opus suite of cementitious materials is a proven supplement and alternative to Portland cement. Validated by third parties, Terra's materials perform equal to or better than traditional cementitious products.
Terra CO2 is headquartered in Golden, Colorado. For more information, please visit: https://terraco2.com/
Media Contact
Juan Avila, Terra CO2 Technology, 5125894486, [email protected]
SOURCE Terra CO2 Technology
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