CO₂ mineralisation: turning demolition concrete into a carbon sink

The tgo solution for CO₂ mineralisation stores carbon dioxide permanently in recycled concrete. What takes decades in nature is achieved in a few hours — scientifically verified, certified, economically viable.

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Concrete: climate problem and solution at the same time

Cement causes 8% of global CO₂ emissions. At the same time, demolition generates the largest material waste stream in the world. CO₂ mineralisation turns this waste into an economic opportunity.

590 kg CO₂ per tonne of cement

When limestone is calcined, CO₂ is released chemically. Around 60% of the emissions come directly from the reaction, not from the energy input. This cannot be solved by renewable energy alone.

CaCO₃ → CaO + CO₂ — this chemical equation shows that even with 100% green electricity, the process-related emissions remain.

70 million tonnes of demolition concrete

Every year, Germany generates 70 million tonnes of concrete rubble. It is recycled — but the potential to store CO₂ in it permanently has so far been wasted.

2,580 processing plants in Germany handle these volumes. Each one can become a carbon sink.

Market growing at double-digit rates

The carbon-to-concrete market already reached 1.45 billion dollars in 2024 and is growing at 12.8% per year. The EU Green Deal, CBAM from 2026 and rising CDR demand are driving this growth.

Forecast for 2033: 4.32 billion dollars. Early adopters secure the best positions.

Why concrete absorbs CO₂

Concrete is chemically “hungry” for CO₂

Cement contains calcium hydroxide — Ca(OH)₂. This compound reacts spontaneously with CO₂ to form calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) — limestone. One of the most stable minerals on Earth. The CO₂ literally turns to stone.

The same reaction has been forming limestone mountains in nature for 500 million years.

The tgo process: five steps to permanent CO₂ storage

The process integrates seamlessly into your existing processing chain. Select a step or let the animation run.

Demolition

A building is demolished. 70 million t of concrete rubble per year in Germany. Every cubic metre contains bound calcium — the key to CO₂ storage.

The honest carbon balance — from demolition to storage

It is not just the technology that counts — we look at the entire value chain, including transport, processing and energy demand.

Carbon balance per tonne of demolition concrete

Net result: CLIMATE-NEGATIVE

After deducting all inputs (transport, electricity, plant construction), -3.9 kg CO₂ per tonne of concrete remains. This means that every tonne that passes through the process removes CO₂ from the atmosphere on a net basis.

About 40% net efficiency

Of the ~10 kg of CO₂ taken up per tonne of concrete, about 3.9 kg remain as net removal once all inputs across the full life cycle have been deducted.

Scalable to 70 million t/year

With full use of Germany’s demolition concrete volumes: around 700,000 tonnes of CO₂ uptake per year, of which around 270,000 tonnes per year are net permanent storage.

Better material, additional revenue

Mineralisation improves the mechanical properties. Select a metric for details.

Compressive strength

Recycled concrete with carbonated aggregate shows up to 21% higher 28-day compressive strength.

The CaCO₃ crystals fill micropores and increase the contact area between aggregate and cement paste. Studies by ETH Zurich and TU Munich confirm this effect across several grain sizes.

Water absorption

CaCO₃ fills pores and heals microcracks. Better freeze-thaw resistance.

Fewer open pores mean less water in the material. In winter, less water freezes that could crack the concrete. The service life of the end product increases measurably.

Standards-compliant

DIN 4226-101, DIN EN 12620, TL Gestein-StB — no special approval required.

Carbonated recycled material meets all common standards for aggregates. No additional testing, no special approvals, no changes to existing supply contracts.

Changes to sales

Same customers, same sales channels, same products. Just additional revenue.

The material goes into the same applications: road construction, backfilling, recycled concrete. Your customers only notice the difference in the higher quality.

Calculate your additional annual revenue with tgo

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Profitability calculator

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Five reasons why this is a genuine carbon sink

Common sense — no legalese. Select an argument for details.

1. The CO₂ was in the atmosphere

Biogenic CO₂ from biogas comes from plants that previously removed it from the atmosphere.

If it is mineralised in concrete instead of being released into the air, the natural cycle is interrupted — the CO₂ does not return. That is the definition of a sink.

2. Thermodynamically stable

CaCO₃ is the end product of an exothermic reaction — the energetic minimum.

You would need more than 700 °C to release the CO₂ again. No construction process comes close. Natural limestone has existed for 500 million years.

3. Independently verified

Every tonne is certified under recognised standards, verified by independent auditors.

Mass balance method, independent audits, transparent registries — double counting is ruled out. This is the same rigour as for CO₂ storage in geological formations.

4. About 40% net efficiency

The full LCA takes into account transport, electricity and plant manufacture.

After deducting all inputs, about 40% remains as genuine, permanent removal — of the ~10 kg of CO₂ taken up per tonne, about 3.9 kg net.

5. Not reversible

Unlike forests (which burn), soil (which releases CO₂ as it warms) or oceans.

Limestone is geologically permanent. Even if the building is demolished again, the CaCO₃ remains stable. By all scientific standards, the storage is irreversible under normal conditions.

Conclusion

CO₂ is removed from the atmosphere, chemically turned into stone, independently verified and stored for 1,000+ years. By every scientific and regulatory standard, this is a permanent carbon sink.

Relevant frameworks: EU CRCF (2024/3012) · RED III (in force since 2025) · Gold Standard CDR · Puro.earth CORCs

A market with exponential momentum

Gold Standard

The world’s first methodology for technology-based carbon removal. Strict additionality and permanence criteria.

Puro.earth

CORCs with guaranteed permanence. Transparent registry. Growing demand from tech corporations.

EU CRCF

Regulation 2024/3012 — a uniform European certification standard for carbon removal. Legal framework since 2025.

Everything you need to know

With pure concrete demolition waste, approx. 10 kg/t industrially, and up to 25 kg/t under optimal laboratory conditions. With mixed material, approx. 7 kg/t. The exact amount depends on the calcium content and grain size.

Plants absorb atmospheric CO₂ through photosynthesis. If the CO₂ released during biogas production is mineralised in concrete instead of being released into the air, it does not return to the atmosphere — permanent removal.

Pure CO₂ (~100%) instead of air (0.04%) accelerates the reaction by a factor of 2,500. On top of this come the enormous surface area of crushed concrete and optimised temperature and humidity conditions. What takes decades in nature takes just a few hours industrially.

Yes — for the better: up to 21% higher compressive strength, 30% less water absorption, better freeze-thaw resistance. The CaCO₃ crystals fill micropores and improve the mechanical properties.

CaCO₃ (limestone) remains thermodynamically stable. CO₂ is only released above 700 °C — no demolition or construction process reaches this temperature. The storage remains permanent.

No. Under RED III (in force since 2025), biogenic CO₂ is a by-product of biogas upgrading and does not affect the GHG quota. The biogas operator is free to sell it for mineralisation.

Certification under recognised standards, verified by independent auditors — relevant frameworks include Gold Standard CDR, Puro.earth (CORCs) and the EU CRCF (Regulation 2024/3012). Transparent registries prevent double counting.

DAC costs €600–1,300/t CO₂ and is extremely energy-intensive. Mineralisation in demolition concrete uses low-cost biogenic CO₂ as a by-product and is already economically viable today. Both are permanent CDR methods.

No. The mineralisation unit is integrated between the crusher and the stockpile. Same customers, same products, same logistics. The only difference: additional revenue from carbon credits.

Large technology corporations (Microsoft, Stripe, Shopify), industrial companies with net-zero targets, and increasingly also regulatory drivers through the EU CRCF and CBAM. Demand clearly exceeds supply.

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⚙︎ INTERACTIVE – The process animation and profitability calculator from the old page are being rebuilt.