Cleanco2 is an innovative company dedicated to using advanced technology to remove carbon dioxide. They are committed to researching, developing, and commercializing Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) technology, providing society with low-cost carbon removal solutions, and contributing to the establishment of a future industrial economy with "net-zero emissions."
Currently, their focus lies in the construction materials sector, where they utilize their technology to store captured CO₂ in concrete materials. This not only enables the production of low-carbon concrete products with an 80% reduced carbon footprint but also provides low-carbon transformation solutions to industries such as construction and infrastructure without increasing "green premiums."
A success funding round
Cleanco2 has successfully completed a multi-million RMB angel+ round of financing, with investments from Yuanhe Yuandian, Sumitomo Corporation Asia Capital, and other industrial investors.
Founder Zhao Chao revealed that Sumitomo Corporation, one of Japan's largest concrete traders, aims to drive project collaborations with carbon capture in China and overseas regions. The funds from this round will be utilized for continuous deployment of carbon dioxide mineralization production lines and technology research and development.
In the current context of global climate warming, Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) technology is the most direct method to absorb carbon dioxide and the final step towards carbon neutrality.
The development of CCUS technology can be traced back to its early utilization for oil recovery in the last century. Due to its substantial emission reduction potential and its potential to promote the clean application of traditional energy sources, CCUS has evolved from the technological research stage to the initial commercial deployment phase.
CCUS market outlook
According to the "China Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Technology Development Roadmap (2019)," the value of the CCUS industry is projected to surpass 20 billion RMB annually by 2023 and exceed 330 billion RMB annually by 2050, with an average annual growth rate of 11.9% from 2025 to 2050.
Currently, carbon emissions associated with buildings account for 11% of global emissions, with building materials being the largest contributor, representing over 60-70% of the total. Reducing embodied carbon in construction is a key focus in the building industry under a dual carbon framework. As a result, among the various applications of CCUS technology, the mineralization utilization of carbon dioxide in the production of concrete has been gradually scaled up in the construction and infrastructure sectors.
Concrete, as the most widely used building material globally, includes cement as one of its main components. The production of cement contributes over 7% of global CO2 emissions, primarily due to chemical reactions and high-temperature manufacturing processes. This is the main reason why concrete is considered a carbon-intensive building material.
Innovative approach
Cleanco2 has developed a "carbon dioxide mineralization utilization" technology system. During the production of solid concrete bricks, industrial by-products such as fly ash and blast furnace slag are used instead of cement. The process employs carbon dioxide mineralization curing technology in place of traditional high-temperature steam curing, resulting in a reduction of 108.12 kg CO2 emissions per 1000 kg of product.
This approach not only minimizes carbon emissions through process improvement but also permanently sequesters carbon dioxide as an industrial by-product. During the carbon dioxide storage and utilization stage, Cleanco2 also employs customized injection equipment and special mineralization additives, absorbing and fixing 50.27 kg of carbon dioxide per 1000 kg of product.
According to Zhao Chao, the concrete materials produced using this technology not only exhibit enhanced strength indicators but also significantly reduce curing time, increasing the efficiency of concrete production by over 50%.
However, the main challenge in transitioning CCUS technology from the laboratory to the industrial level lies in cost reduction. Zhao Chao explained that from experimentation and pilot projects to industrial deployment, the company has made a series of adjustments in raw material systems, process transformations, and equipment, resulting in costs that can now roughly match customer demands and align with traditional production costs under certain conditions. After large-scale implementation, there will be further room for cost reduction.
Significant strides in commercializing
Previously, Hang Lung Properties announced a two-year collaboration with Cleanco2 to jointly develop CCUS technology for carbonization reinforcement of waste concrete low-carbon recycled aggregates and implement the "Clean Capture Carbonized Solid Concrete Brick" commercial project. This collaboration aims to reduce embodied carbon emissions in Hangzhou Hang Lung Plaza and other commercial projects.
Hangzhou Hang Lung Plaza will be the first commercial development in mainland China and Hong Kong to use solid carbonized concrete bricks. Zhao Chao stated that the carbon footprint of the carbonized solid bricks produced by Cleanco2 is only 22.61 kgCO2e per 1000 kg, a nearly 87% reduction compared to traditional concrete.
Furthermore, Cleanco2 has already applied its carbonized concrete in practical applications in various locations, including Zhejiang Huzhou, Shaanxi Yulin, Guangdong Dongguan, and Hong Kong.
The technology developed by Cleanco2 originated from the State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization at Zhejiang University (CEU). In 2020, Cleanco2 collaborated with CEU in several national and regional research and development projects related to CCUS technology and established the "Zhejiang University - ClearCapture Zero Carbon Carbon Dioxide Mineralization Utilization Technology Joint Research Platform," which is China's first large-scale industrial production verification base for carbon dioxide mineralization utilization.
Original press release in Chinese here.
