Terra CO2, a developer of a scalable low-carbon supplementary cementitious material, and Eagle Materials Inc. have entered into exclusive agreements for the potential deployment of multiple eco-friendly, low-carbon cementitious commercial-scale plants that would service three different geographic areas, including the Greater Denver market.
The agreements grant Eagle Materials the exclusive right to build and operate plants that produce supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in each geographic area. When developed and fully scaled, each plant would have the potential to produce approximately 240,000 tpy of SCM.
These agreements represent an important step toward helping states and the construction industry further their environmental goals and initiatives. For example, a plant built in the Greater Denver market area would support the Buy Clean Colorado Act (HB21-1303), signed into law and effective Jan. 1, 2024, which aims to reduce embodied carbon emissions in construction materials for Colorado state public projects exceeding $500,000.
This law underscores Colorado’s commitment to leading in the mandate of low-carbon construction materials, and Terra’s technology is poised to play a crucial role in achieving the state’s environmental objectives.
“New climate tech needs to be deployed quickly to meet 2030 and 2050 climate goals. Terra is working hard to accelerate the deployment of its commercial plants through strategic partnerships, deploying more capital and shortening timelines,” said Bill Yearsley, Terra’s CEO.
“We are thrilled to work with a partner like Eagle Materials to build commercial plants for sustainable construction, and act on this urgency through our shared commitment to action. In the absence of a ‘climate tech express lane’ from the government, working with industry leaders is key to innovating and expediting low-carbon solutions for the industry.”
As the industry seeks to address climate change and environmental sustainability, the emission rates of traditional cement production present a critical challenge that necessitates innovative solutions.
“In entering into these agreements with Terra, we’re taking bold steps today to seek solutions that reduce the carbon intensity of cementitious materials using new technologies. Furthermore, as the supply of other SCMs, such as fly ash, continues to decrease in availability, increased SCM development will be crucial to fulfill the needs of our customers and in meeting the expected increases in demand for cement more broadly,” said Michael Haack, CEO of Eagle Materials.
Terra’s OPUS SCM is a 1:1 replacement of traditional SCMs that does not require any additional infrastructure or cement design investments, creating a win-win for both the environment and the economy. Terra’s core technology is a production process that converts inexpensive, abundant, and local feedstocks from existing aggregate mines to high-performing, climate-friendly, and cost-competitive SCMs. Unlike existing SCMs, OPUS products are precisely engineered and can be manufactured locally in large quantities, minimizing transportation costs, and allowing reliable supply with strict quality control.
Terra’s OPUS SCM has been successfully used in the construction of the Porsche Sugar Land dealership in Texas and the Minnesota Road Research Facility (MnROAD) on Interstate 94. Terra also recently announced plans for a plant in Dallas-Fort Worth in partnership with Asher Materials.