One day you may walk down a sidewalk made from algae. A startup called Prometheus Materials is working to make that a reality to reduce the climate impact of concrete.
Concrete is made from cement. And the traditional process used to make that cement causes about 8% of global carbon emissions.
Loren Burnett of Prometheus says making cement from algae does not emit any carbon pollution.
Burnett: “We don’t mine heavy limestone. We’re not using fossil fuels to transport that heavy limestone to a cement plant. We’re not using fossil fuels to heat industrial kilns.”
Instead, the company uses algae, water, nutrients, light, and air to produce calcium carbonate, a basic ingredient in cement.
Burnett: “It’s the process whereby nature produces coral reefs and seashells.”
They use that calcium carbonate to make cement.
Burnett: “We then combine that with aggregate and sand to create a zero-carbon bio-concrete. … It’s extremely efficient and very low cost to produce.”
Prometheus is already making concrete blocks and plans to manufacture other products.
So Burnett says someday, builders might be able to use this carbon-free concrete for any construction job.
Reporting credit: Shannon Young / ChavoBart Digital Media
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