Vicat signs decarbonisation agreement with Carbon8 Systems

Carbon8 Systems, the UK company that invented and owns a process that combines industrial waste residues or byproducts with captured CO₂ emissions to produce high-value, lightweight construction aggregates, has signed a commercial agreement with Vicat Group.

Carbon8 Systems will deploy its award-winning technology at Vicat's Montalieu cement plant in southern France next month. It is Carbon8 Systems' first commercial deployment of its CO₂ntainer system (a modular, containerised solution) in Europe, and follows successful demonstration projects at cement plants in the UK and Canada.

The CO₂ntainer will be deployed directly onsite at Montalieu and integrated into Vicat’s existing industrial processes. Crucially, it will capture CO₂ directly from the plant’s flue gas emissions, which will be used to convert cement bypass dust into lightweight aggregates through the use of Carbon8 Systems’ patented Accelerated Carbonisation Technology (ACT) solution.

In its first phase of operation, Carbon8 Systems’ CO₂ntainer will process and convert up to 12,000t of cement bypass dust into valuable construction aggregates. Vicat can commercially repurpose the aggregates in various applications, for instance in lightweight concrete blocks.

Dr Paula Carey, co-founder and Technical Director of Carbon8 Systems, said: "Securing a commercial agreement with Vicat, a family-run cement company that has been in business for more than 150 years and with a strong commitment to process innovation and sustainability, is a massive endorsement of our technology and the R&D work that we have carried out over recent years."

Dr Laury Barnes-Davin, scientific director of Vicat, said: "As part of our commitment to limit our environmental impact, Vicat has looked at a number of innovative ideas to reduce its carbon emissions. We are attracted by Carbon8 Systems’ two-part technology proposition: capturing the CO₂ that Montalieu emits and using it to produce an aggregate that can be marketed to industry. We are excited by its potential for our operations elsewhere in France and around the world."

Dr Carey added: "Carbon8 Systems is a true circular economy company and the “only game in town” for successful and sustainable decarbonisation of industrial residues."

Carbon8 System CO₂ntainers on their way to Vicat Montalieu