Chevron-Backed Blue Planet Aims to Transform Construction

The construction industry, responsible for a staggering 38% of global CO₂ emissions, has long relied on quarrying for aggregate - an extractive process that causes habitat destruction and generates more waste than any other industry.

It also consumes half of the world's raw materials. Blue Planet Systems, backed by Chevron, Mitsubishi and HOLCIM, is on a mission to change that.

Blue Planet's goal is simple yet ambitious: to "mineralise billions of tonnes of CO₂ per year in the built environment."

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in California, the company produces aggregate, concrete and limestone using CO₂ and waste materials.

Unlike some other carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) solutions that rely on liquid CO₂, Blue Planet can utilise CO₂ from any source. This means that the process is more versatile and adaptable to different emissions scenarios.

Each tonne of Blue Planet's aggregate contains 440kg of sequestered CO₂, ensuring that this carbon will never re-enter the atmosphere.

Chief Commercial Officer David Gottfried emphasises the transformative potential: "We can do much more in the Scope 3 area to reduce embodied carbon and ramp up efficiencies in older buildings or replacing them while deconstructing their existing carbon into new buildings in a circular way."

By upcycling used concrete to extract calcium, Blue Planet creates a circular process that keeps carbon locked away.

A carbon-negative future for construction

Blue Planet's limestone aggregate can make an entire building carbon negative.

This breakthrough is not just about trapping carbon; it's about turning buildings into active components of a sustainable future. The limestone also boasts high solar reflectance—nearly three times that of standard roof shingles.

This characteristic helps keep interiors cooler, reducing the need for air conditioning and cutting down on electricity usage and power plant emissions.

Extensive testing has shown that Blue Planet's CaCO₃ aggregate performs as well as, if not better than, traditional aggregates like pumice and expanded clay. This ensures that the product can meet the demands of modern construction without compromising quality.

Support from industry leaders

Blue Planet's vision has attracted significant backing. Chevron, an American multinational energy company, is one of its major investors.

Barbara Burger, VP of Innovation and President of Technology Ventures at Chevron, highlights the importance of this technology: "Carbon capture, utilisation and storage, or CCUS, is viewed to be essential to advancing progress toward the global net zero ambition of the Paris Agreement.

"This investment is made through our Future Energy Fund which focuses on start-ups with lower-carbon technologies that can scale commercially and we welcome Blue Planet to this portfolio."

Brent Constantz, Founder, CEO and Chief Scientist at Blue Planet, acknowledges the support from Chevron, saying, "Chevron is a leader in scouting and identifying innovative and game-changing approaches to lower-carbon intensity.

"The investment may also provide future opportunities to incorporate Blue Planet’s approach into Chevron’s projects."

Marathon Petroleum, an American petroleum refining, marketing and transportation company, is another key supporter.

Brent notes, "We are pleased to have the technical and commercial support of Marathon Petroleum at this critical phase of the scale-up and commercialisation of our low and negative embodied carbon building materials."

With support from these industry giants, Blue Planet is well-positioned to make a significant impact on construction's carbon footprint.

By capturing CO₂ and repurposing building waste, Blue Planet aims to make construction not just less harmful but actively beneficial for the environment. As the company scales up, it could pave the way for a new era where buildings contribute to a net-zero future.

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