What if cement production could store carbon instead of emitting it?

Company Overview & Technology - Paebbl, a Rotterdam startup, is developing raw construction material from CO2, aiming to transform buildings into carbon absorbers [1] - The company's method accelerates natural rock weathering, a process that already removes approximately 1 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere annually [2] - Paebbl enhances this process using minerals, pressure, temperature, and catalysts in a chemical reactor to create construction materials [4] Environmental Impact & Cement Industry - Traditional cement production, relying on limestone, contributes 6-8% of global greenhouse gas emissions due to the dissociation of calcium carbonate at high temperatures [4][5] - Electrifying cement production alone won't eliminate 40-50% of emissions because of the inherent material properties [6] - Paebbl's process involves adding 1 ton of CO2 to 2 tons of minerals, resulting in 3 tons of product and generating heat, offering cementitious properties [6] Production & Scaling - Paebbl has increased production capacity by 100% since 2020, reaching 200-300 kilograms per day by November 2024 [7] - The company has built a demonstration-scale plant in Rotterdam with a design capacity to process roughly 900 tonnes (900,000 kg) of CO2 per year, yielding 2,500-4,000 tons (2,500,000 - 4,000,000 kg) of product [8] - Paebbl is in the process of selecting a location for its first full commercial-scale unit [9] Market & Economic Viability - Paebbl aims to achieve cost parity with traditional cement and supplementary cementitious materials with its initial commercial-scale plants [10][11] - The construction industry is consistently growing, with approximately 30 billion tons of concrete produced annually, contributing to 30-50 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions [13] - The world needs roughly one Manhattan's worth of concrete every month until 2050, highlighting the necessity for sustainable alternatives [14]