Comments on: Calera, pulls carbon dioxide out of atmosphere to produce cement http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/ News About Tech, Money and Innovation Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:13:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Senden http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/comment-page-1/#comment-834474 Senden Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:49:44 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/#comment-834474 The only problem by coal burning in powerplants is the emission of CO2. If you have a real solution, coal is green. There is a proposal ro combine coal burning in powerplants and alkalislagcement production in one plant. The CO2 emission of PC cement per ton is indeed 1 ton. The emission of CO2 of ASC cement per ton is only 0,5 ton. If you have a proposal to fix these last 500 kg CO2, we are waiting on your proposal. The only problem by coal burning in powerplants is the emission of CO2.

If you have a real solution, coal is green.

There is a proposal ro combine coal burning in powerplants and alkalislagcement production in one plant. The CO2 emission of PC cement per ton is indeed 1 ton. The emission of CO2 of ASC cement per ton is only 0,5 ton. If you have a proposal to fix these last 500 kg CO2, we are waiting on your proposal.

]]> By: Ulu http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/comment-page-1/#comment-828662 Ulu Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:18:14 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/#comment-828662 Missy If you dont know what you are talking about, you should not comment. Some facts in lieu of your yours: I have a bit more than public knowledge about Calera and their process. I happen to have interacted with Brent on several occasions. I have worked on alternative cements for over a decade. I have worked on materials for almost two decades. Do you even have the slightest of concepts as to the extraordinary properties of OPC? Before you spout, look around - you walk on OPC, you drive on OPC, the foundation of your dwelling is OPC and the infrastructure of mankind is, and has been since antiquity, based upon OPC..... Please educate yourself about OPC before making any comments! My days are numbered - hardly - I deal in Real Science. Perhaps it is the gullible, get-rich-quick types like yourself that need to be worried? Missy

If you dont know what you are talking about, you should not comment.

Some facts in lieu of your yours:

I have a bit more than public knowledge about Calera and their process. I happen to have interacted with Brent on several occasions. I have worked on alternative cements for over a decade. I have worked on materials for almost two decades.

Do you even have the slightest of concepts as to the extraordinary properties of OPC?

Before you spout, look around – you walk on OPC, you drive on OPC, the foundation of your dwelling is OPC and the infrastructure of mankind is, and has been since antiquity, based upon OPC….. Please educate yourself about OPC before making any comments!

My days are numbered – hardly – I deal in Real Science.

Perhaps it is the gullible, get-rich-quick types like yourself that need to be worried?

]]> By: Missy http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/comment-page-1/#comment-828408 Missy Sat, 13 Sep 2008 20:21:33 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/#comment-828408 Ulu - You think you know a lot about the company, when in fact you know only public data. If you knew how they intend to make "real" portland cement, then well... you'd have Khosla's money and not them. Think of their technology as more of a stepping stone to portland cement, and a huge carbon capture firm. In terms of scalability, you need to think outside the box on this one. They're ultra secretive, and by the time you actually take them seriously, you'll wish you bought the stock earlier. By the sound of it, I'd say you're either a competing cement start-up: Calstar? or a cement worker from any of those global polluters...cemex, la farge...whichever one. In which case, your days are numbered. Ulu –

You think you know a lot about the company, when in fact you know only public data. If you knew how they intend to make “real” portland cement, then well… you’d have Khosla’s money and not them. Think of their technology as more of a stepping stone to portland cement, and a huge carbon capture firm.

In terms of scalability, you need to think outside the box on this one. They’re ultra secretive, and by the time you actually take them seriously, you’ll wish you bought the stock earlier.

By the sound of it, I’d say you’re either a competing cement start-up: Calstar?

or a cement worker from any of those global polluters…cemex, la farge…whichever one. In which case, your days are numbered.

]]> By: Martin Ellis http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/comment-page-1/#comment-827977 Martin Ellis Tue, 09 Sep 2008 06:20:48 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/#comment-827977 I've got an even better busniess idea. Why not simply design a device that pulls suckers off the street and strips them of all their assets. Do the country a service - become a mortgage salesman! I’ve got an even better busniess idea. Why not simply design a device that pulls suckers off the street and strips them of all their assets. Do the country a service – become a mortgage salesman!

]]> By: Ulu http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/comment-page-1/#comment-826363 Ulu Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:45:00 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/#comment-826363 Calera's cement is utter balderdash on so many levels - a couple of preliminary takes: 1) Where is the cement??? Calera appears to be making Ca/Mg carbonates via a biological path - ie. their cement is carbonate (magnesian calcite) skeletons - they are collecting the skeletons and drying the sludge. This will give a Ca/Mg carbonate powder akin to powdered chalk and limestone. None of these are cementitous (ie. preformed Ca/Mg carbonates will not set into a cement when combined with water) - unlike Portland cement. 2) Note that Calera is now saying that they will not offer a 100% replacement for Portland Cement, but rather a 50:50 blend. This clearly points to their "cement" simply being a filler - you can acheive the same (very poor results) by using powdered limestone or chalk. 3) Note that Calera has also emended their initial claim that their process captures one ton of CO2 for every ton of cement produced (a pure CO2 cement!??), to half a ton of CO2 capture. Stay tuned for more amendments. 4)Assuming (biological) capture of Ca and Mg from seawater as carbonates via Calera's technology, one ton of carbonate cement would equate to at least 500 tons of seawater (at > 80% Ca/Mg capture efficiency)- or ca. 250-300 tons of desalination brine. So, to supply just US cement demand (ca. 100 million MT pa), you would need to process 50 billion cubic meters of seawater. The most economic method would be to piggyback the process onto desalination capacity, but even with projected desalination capacity increases, desalination brines could supply at most 6% of US cement demand. And, processing seawater for cement production alone is neither economic (Note: Portland cement sells at $100-120 per MT in the US) nor environmentally friendly. 5) The Calera process will generate a Ca/Mg-stripped brine rich in Na/K. Many studies have indicated the severe environmental impacts that such brines have when discharged into the ocean - so much so that regulations now dictate dilution of such brines, remote discharge or landfill. 6) In summary - Calera's "cement" is a non-cementitous filler, whose production is non-scalable, uneconomic, and carries huge environmental consequences. Calera’s cement is utter balderdash on so many levels – a couple of preliminary takes:
1) Where is the cement??? Calera appears to be making Ca/Mg carbonates via a biological path – ie. their cement is carbonate (magnesian calcite) skeletons – they are collecting the skeletons and drying the sludge. This will give a Ca/Mg carbonate powder akin to powdered chalk and limestone. None of these are cementitous (ie. preformed Ca/Mg carbonates will not set into a cement when combined with water) – unlike Portland cement.
2) Note that Calera is now saying that they will not offer a 100% replacement for Portland Cement, but rather a 50:50 blend. This clearly points to their “cement” simply being a filler – you can acheive the same (very poor results) by using powdered limestone or chalk.
3) Note that Calera has also emended their initial claim that their process captures one ton of CO2 for every ton of cement produced (a pure CO2 cement!??), to half a ton of CO2 capture. Stay tuned for more amendments.
4)Assuming (biological) capture of Ca and Mg from seawater as carbonates via Calera’s technology, one ton of carbonate cement would equate to at least 500 tons of seawater (at > 80% Ca/Mg capture efficiency)- or ca. 250-300 tons of desalination brine. So, to supply just US cement demand (ca. 100 million MT pa), you would need to process 50 billion cubic meters of seawater. The most economic method would be to piggyback the process onto desalination capacity, but even with projected desalination capacity increases, desalination brines could supply at most 6% of US cement demand. And, processing seawater for cement production alone is neither economic (Note: Portland cement sells at $100-120 per MT in the US) nor environmentally friendly.
5) The Calera process will generate a Ca/Mg-stripped brine rich in Na/K. Many studies have indicated the severe environmental impacts that such brines have when discharged into the ocean – so much so that regulations now dictate dilution of such brines, remote discharge or landfill.
6) In summary – Calera’s “cement” is a non-cementitous filler, whose production is non-scalable, uneconomic, and carries huge environmental consequences.

]]> By: Brian Macker http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/comment-page-1/#comment-821780 Brian Macker Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:20:07 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/#comment-821780 "waits for the next round of alchemists, trying to turn CO2 into diamonds and oxygen" Actually, all it takes is energy. Em, err, wait, where do we get cheap energy from? I forgot. “waits for the next round of alchemists, trying to turn CO2 into diamonds and oxygen”

Actually, all it takes is energy.

Em, err, wait, where do we get cheap energy from? I forgot.

]]> By: Green Building Materials Emerge | ChannelBV http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/comment-page-1/#comment-821200 Green Building Materials Emerge | ChannelBV Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:41:31 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/#comment-821200 [...] of the new building materials featured are: concrete that traps carbon dioxide, drywall that requires no heat to produce (usually drywall manufacturing requires large amounts of [...] [...] of the new building materials featured are: concrete that traps carbon dioxide, drywall that requires no heat to produce (usually drywall manufacturing requires large amounts of [...]

]]> By: IEA calls for $45 trillion push to halve carbon emissions » VentureBeat http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/comment-page-1/#comment-816029 IEA calls for $45 trillion push to halve carbon emissions » VentureBeat Fri, 06 Jun 2008 22:33:06 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/#comment-816029 [...] the money does eventually start to flow, startups like Calera, a company that uses captured CO2 to make cement, and Hyperion Power Generation, which makes portable nuclear reactors, could reap substantial [...] [...] the money does eventually start to flow, startups like Calera, a company that uses captured CO2 to make cement, and Hyperion Power Generation, which makes portable nuclear reactors, could reap substantial [...]

]]> By: Earth2Tech » Blog Archive » FAQ: Carbon Capture & Sequestration http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/comment-page-1/#comment-719532 Earth2Tech » Blog Archive » FAQ: Carbon Capture & Sequestration Mon, 07 Jan 2008 17:24:53 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/#comment-719532 [...] startup, but the company was founded by Stanford earth sciences professor Brent Constantz and has received funding from Khosla Ventures. Calera looks to make cement, a carbon-intensive undertaking, by taking CO2 out of the [...] [...] startup, but the company was founded by Stanford earth sciences professor Brent Constantz and has received funding from Khosla Ventures. Calera looks to make cement, a carbon-intensive undertaking, by taking CO2 out of the [...]

]]> By: FAQ: Carbon Capture & Sequestration « Earth2Tech http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/comment-page-1/#comment-719504 FAQ: Carbon Capture & Sequestration « Earth2Tech Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:25:11 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/#comment-719504 [...] startup, but the company was founded by Stanford earth sciences professor Brent Constantz and has received funding from Khosla Ventures. Calera looks to make cement, a carbon-intensive undertaking, by taking CO2 out of the [...] [...] startup, but the company was founded by Stanford earth sciences professor Brent Constantz and has received funding from Khosla Ventures. Calera looks to make cement, a carbon-intensive undertaking, by taking CO2 out of the [...]

]]> By: Environment Events » Calera to Pull CO2 Out of Atmosphere to Produce Cement (And Stop Warming) http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/comment-page-1/#comment-646144 Environment Events » Calera to Pull CO2 Out of Atmosphere to Produce Cement (And Stop Warming) Thu, 22 Nov 2007 23:15:13 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/#comment-646144 [...] read more… [...] [...] read more… [...]

]]> By: VentureBeat » OPEC opens $750M fund for carbon sequestration http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/comment-page-1/#comment-642000 VentureBeat » OPEC opens $750M fund for carbon sequestration Mon, 19 Nov 2007 23:38:11 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/#comment-642000 [...] a different take on carbon capture, read our post about Calera. Tagged inv:opec VentureBeat [...] [...] a different take on carbon capture, read our post about Calera. Tagged inv:opec VentureBeat [...]

]]> By: VentureBeat » Novomer, an eco-friendly plastic maker, raises $6.6M http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/comment-page-1/#comment-620006 VentureBeat » Novomer, an eco-friendly plastic maker, raises $6.6M Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:50:39 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/#comment-620006 [...] carbon dioxide, the gas most often accused of causing global warming. Incidentally, we recently reported on another startup that wants to capture carbon dioxide released during manufacturing processes. [...] [...] carbon dioxide, the gas most often accused of causing global warming. Incidentally, we recently reported on another startup that wants to capture carbon dioxide released during manufacturing processes. [...]

]]> By: VentureBeat » Novomer, an eco-friendly plastic maker, raises $6.6M http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/comment-page-1/#comment-620020 VentureBeat » Novomer, an eco-friendly plastic maker, raises $6.6M Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:50:39 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/#comment-620020 [...] carbon dioxide, the gas most often accused of causing global warming. Incidentally, we recently reported on another startup that wants to capture carbon dioxide released during manufacturing processes. [...] [...] carbon dioxide, the gas most often accused of causing global warming. Incidentally, we recently reported on another startup that wants to capture carbon dioxide released during manufacturing processes. [...]

]]> By: VentureBeat » Serious Materials raises a serious round of $50M for green building materials http://green.venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/comment-page-1/#comment-609576 VentureBeat » Serious Materials raises a serious round of $50M for green building materials Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:55:48 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/2007/10/05/calera-pulls-carbon-dioxide-out-of-atmosphere-to-produce-cement/#comment-609576 [...] He isn’t the only one. Khosla Ventures, which invested in California Cement, also recently put money into Calera, which has plans to recycle escaping carbon dioxide into concrete. Gigacrete is another [...] [...] He isn’t the only one. Khosla Ventures, which invested in California Cement, also recently put money into Calera, which has plans to recycle escaping carbon dioxide into concrete. Gigacrete is another [...]

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