Zug/Bern – Building materials producer Holcim is investing in Bern-based climate tech pioneer neustark to accelerate scaling of its technology for permanent storage of mineralized CO2 in demolition concrete. In addition, Holcim will introduce neustarks equipment at all its recycling plants worldwide.
Neustark and Holcim are expanding their partnership: According to a media release from neustark, both companies have reached a “groundbreaking” investment and strategic cooperation agreement. Holcim, one of the world’s largest producers of building materials, had made an undisclosed but “substantial” investment in the Bern-based climate tech pioneer to accelerate the scaling of its carbon removal technology, it said.
In addition, Holcim is committed to introducing the CO2 storage technology of the spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, established in 2019, in its recycling plants worldwide. Holcim has already been operating a mobile storage facility designed by neustark since May 2023. Hundreds would follow at Holcim sites around the world, the statement said. Thousands are expected to be added, including the facilities that other local and global recycling partners are bringing on line. This would enable neustark to achieve its “ambition of permanently removing 1 million tons in 2030. The cooperation with Holcim is a big step in this direction.”
neustark’s novel method consists of capturing biogenic CO2 at the source, for example at biogas plants. Then, through an accelerated mineralization process, the CO2 is stored “for millions of years” in demolition materials. According to neustark, mineralization is one of the few technologies that ensures true permanent removal of carbon from the air: “This generates important negative emissions.” ce/mm
