Energy independence seems to be each country’s topmost agenda in today’s challenging economic climate. While many companies are looking to take advantage of the new tax credits extended to renewable energy industries, others are looking to solve the problem by finding ways to convert emissions into high value, sustainable technology. Carbon Sciences is developing a breakthrough technology to transform carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into useful carbonate products that can be used by the paper, pharmaceuticals and FMCG industries.

Carbon Sciences has recently developed CO2-to-Carbonate technology , an industrial platform for transforming CO2 emissions into high value carbonate products such as precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC), a carbon captured product that replaces wood and clay in the paper industry. Carbon Sciences’ clean technology process combines CO2 with industrial waste minerals and transforms them into PCC.

The multi-billion dollar global market for PCC is projected to grow to 10 million tons by 2010. Carbon Sciences attributes this growth to increased worldwide paper consumption and construction. The company has been in discussion with various paper manufacturers to test the use of PCC. An in-house plant will test and optimize the development of this highly valued carbonate product

Says Derek McLeish, CEO of the company, “It will be a while until the reality of carbon offsets kicks in. So instead of waiting until then, we wanted to look at the demand side to see how we could provide high valued product that efficiently use CO2 emissions to feed industry.”

The paper industry is a major consumer of energy. Carbon Sciences’ primary focus right now is to help the paper industry go carbon neutral. According to McLeish, other product that could also benefit from the use of PCC include toothpaste, yogurt, and gypsum. McLeish has a first hand knowledge of FMCG products have previously managed factories for companies like Gillette and Proctor & Gamble. He set up Carbon Sciences in April 2007 because wanted to focus his time on developing a technology that would positively impact his grandchildren.

Talk about socially responsible entrepreneurism!

Image Credit: www.carbonsciences.com



