What is 'green cement' and how could it help the Strait of Canso?

The term "green cement" is still relatively new, but a Cape Breton economic development group feels the Strait of Canso could be the newest home for carbon-removal technologies that have already enjoyed success in the province. 

The Cape Breton Partnership says unidentified business interests have shown interest in launching a green cement facility in Point Tupper Industrial Park.

A survey commissioned by the partnership says the industry chalked up $84.5 billion in business globally two years ago and is on pace to jump to $89 billion by 2032. 

The partnership's CEO, Tyler Mattheis, said the survey went ahead after executives with Invest Nova Scotia "indicated some interest in cement production in the region" and noted an increase in demand for green cement. 

"We have great partners, we have great building blocks and we have an industry that is growing but is less understood," said Mattheis. "And we thought it was a great opportunity to investigate more to see how it would benefit our region."

The creation of green cement and green concrete

Green cement is an eco-friendly cement produced by using alternative materials and energy-efficient processes to greatly reduce carbon emissions.

The survey carried out by Sydney-based DMDE Engineering suggests a green cement facility would utilize electric kilns to help decarbonize the traditional elements of cement using renewable energy sources such as wind power or green hydrogen, another product now being developed in the Strait area. 

Similar techniques have been in use in Nova Scotia for several years. Dartmouth-based CarbonCure Technologies, founded in 2013, has sold its concrete decarbonization systems to over 800 clients in 30 countries. 

CarbonCure does not produce its own green cement or green concrete. Instead, the firm's technologies inject carbon dioxide into concrete components, according to CarbonCure's director of global communications, Mike Carter-Conneen.

"The CO2 immediately mineralizes and the resulting nanosized particles of calcium carbonate are embedded across the material, protecting the concrete's compressive strength while enabling reductions of carbon-intensive cement," Carter-Conneen said.

Cape Breton project faces several hurdles 

Back in Cape Breton, proponents of a green cement production facility point out several factors are required for a project to move forward.

These include the use of limestone deposits in Glencoe, Inverness County, the reopening of long-dormant Cape Breton rail lines to transport the limestone, and the use of fly ash, a byproduct of coal pulverization. The DMDE Engineering survey suggested fly ash could be shipped in from Nova Scotia Power's coal-fired generating stations in Point Tupper, Lingan and Trenton. 

While the development may be a long time coming, the prospects have caught the attention of the region's municipal leaders, including Richmond County Warden Lois Landry. 

"Any time you're talking about new business coming to Richmond County, it's a good news day, but that one is just win-win-win," Landry declared after the latest regular meeting of Richmond municipal council. 

"It checks off a lot of boxes. You're talking about using a byproduct that has no use in any other industrial way and you're talking about not using things that are harmful.… So it's a really exciting thing to be on the cusp of."