Sublime Systems Partners with CRH and Holcim for Low-Carbon Cement
Sublime Systems Partners with CRH and Holcim for Low-Carbon Cement
Sublime Systems, a pioneer in low carbon cement production, has announced a new partnership with major construction companies CRH and Holcim. The partnership includes a $75 million equity investment and a commitment reserve to support the development and operation of Sublime's first commercial manufacturing facility in Holyoke, Massachusetts. This is an important step towards achieving the cement industry's role as a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for nearly 8% of global CO2 emissions.
Cement production is very difficult for decarbonization because it produces more than 900 kg of CO2 for every 1000 kg of cement produced. However, Sublime, which came out of MIT in 2020, has developed a groundbreaking technology that eliminates the need for high-energy ovens. Instead, the company uses electricity to produce cement at room temperature. The process also replaces limestone with other sources of calcium, avoiding the CO2 emissions usually emitted from limestone during lime production. The company claims that this approach produces cement with less CO2 and less energy consumption, which differs from most current carbon reduction processes that rely heavily on carbon extraction and extraction. Dr. Leah Ellis, CEO and co-founder of Sublime, highlighted the importance of combining our innovative technology with the manufacturing and logistics expertise of industry leaders such as CRH and Holcim. He emphasized that these partnerships allow Sublime to scale up quickly to address the climate crisis. The investment will help fund the construction of Sublime’s first commercial facility, expected to open as early as 2026. This follows an additional investment of up to $86.9 million from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, which will cover half of the Holyoke plant's construction costs. The binding reservations from CRH and Holcim will further accelerate the adoption of Sublime Cement in construction projects, adding to existing commitments from a range of customers including concrete producers, general contractors, and infrastructure developers. Holcim’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Nollaig Forrest, praised Sublime’s potential to disrupt the cement industry with its clean electricity and carbon-free raw material approach, aligning with Holcim’s decarbonization strategy. Similarly, CRH Ventures' Eduardo Gomez highlighted the collaboration as part of CRH’s commitment to scaling low-carbon solutions for the construction sector, with the potential to dramatically reduce cement's carbon footprint.