Calgary CCU company aces Minnesota highway test

Key Takeaways

• Carbon Upcycling’s CO2-enhanced concrete mix demonstrated significant environmental benefits, reducing cement use by 12.5% while increasing strength by 28% at 28 days and 32% at 56 days.
• A three-year study, conducted on an active Minnesota highway by Carbon Upcycling, MnDOT, and the NRRA, rigorously tested 16 concrete mixtures.
• With over 3,000 tonnes of low-carbon cement deployed since 2021, Carbon Upcycling is positioning itself as a leader in sustainable construction.

The Whole Story:

A recent study shows Canada’s low-carbon cement producers have a winning formula for road construction. 

Carbon Upcycling Technologies, Inc. (Carbon Upcycling), a Calgary-based decarbonization and carbon capture & utilization (CCU) company, along with, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the National Road Research Alliance (NRRA) has successfully completed a three-year study on the use of low-carbon cement in highways.

The study, managed by Sutter Engineering LLC and sponsored by the National Road Research Alliance (NRRA), rigorously tested 16 unique concrete mixtures in real-world conditions on an active Minnesota highway to identify options that could reduce the carbon footprint of infrastructure without sacrificing strength or durability.

Completed in early 2024, the study aimed to find materials that could significantly lower the carbon footprint of concrete paving without compromising durability. Carbon Upcycling’s CO2-enhanced mix achieved a 12.5% reduction in cement content while matching the workability of traditional concrete, allowing seamless handling, placement, and setting times for construction crews.

Carbon Upcycling officials say these findings provide valuable data to guide future low-carbon infrastructure projects across North America, as the seamless integration into existing workflows offers a drop-in, low-carbon alternative without compromising ease of use or performance.

The study revealed significant performance and environmental benefits of Carbon Upcycling’s concrete mix:

Increased Strength: 28% stronger at 28 days and 32% stronger at 56 days compared to the advanced control concrete.

Reduced Cement Use: The CCU process allowed a 12.5% reduction in cementitious material, effectively reducing both carbon emissions and material costs.

 “Infrastructure is the very foundation of a sustainable future, and at Carbon Upcycling we’re committed to creating materials that support this vision while establishing a secure, stable North American supply chain,” said Apoorv Sinha, CEO of Carbon Upcycling. “Our collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Transportation highlights how Carbon Upcycling can transform captured emissions into local materials that strengthen our infrastructure. By focusing on resilience and sustainability, we’re contributing to a vision where our essential structures are clean and built to last.”

Carbon Upcycling partnered with BURNCO to deploy and test 140 m³ of its CCU-enhanced concrete mix, monitored by Larry Sutter, Principal Engineer at Sutter Engineering LLC, for strength, workability, and environmental impact on a Minnesota highway.

“Carbon Upcycling submitted a very impressive mixture design to the trial,” said Larry Sutter, MnDOT’s Principal Engineer and the project’s technical manager. “Their material not only achieved the highest reduction in cementitious content among all submissions but also demonstrated remarkable strength. By embedding CO2 and reducing the reliance on portland cement, Carbon Upcycling’s technology addresses one of the concrete industry’s most pressing challenges—lowering its carbon footprint as global demand for cement is expected to double by 2050. This project data will be invaluable as the industry works toward its 2030 CO2 reduction targets.”

Since 2021, Carbon Upcycling has deployed over 3,000 tonnes of low-carbon cement and has attracted investment from some of the world’s largest cement industry players such as Cemex, CRH and Titan Cement.