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Decarbonising construction with direct air capture
Mission Zero Technologies empowers O.C.O Technology to pioneer carbon-negative building aggregates made from air.
INDUSTRY
Construction
LOCATION
Norfolk, UK
PROCESS
Accelerated Carbonation Technology
USE CASE
Carbon-Negative Building Materials
O.C.O Technology is one of very few commercially operational carbon mineralisation companies in the world producing building materials which can permanently store CO₂ for thousands of years. In a world-first project funded by the UK Government’s Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, they partnered with us to demonstrate a full integration of direct air capture (DAC) technology with their facilities for the commercial production of aggregates made from atmospheric CO₂ in a world first.
Creating sustainable products while combating climate change
For over a decade, O.C.O Technology has built its business on turning industrial waste into sustainable construction materials — using CO₂ and recycled incineration residues (APCr) to create Manufactured LimeStone, a carbon-negative construction material. In addition to pioneering sustainable new products, they have also been using their Kings Award-winning technology to start removing carbon from the atmosphere.
To maximise the carbon negativity of their product and deliver as much carbon removal as possible, O.C.O’s process requires a fossil-free CO₂ supply — one whose usage results in a net reduction of atmospheric CO₂ levels. Today, that sustainable CO₂ supply is biogenic, sourced from regional anaerobic digestion and fermentation plants located near their manufacturing sites.
With the market for high-quality carbon removal set to grow through 2030 — and demand for high-quality CO₂ set to increase with them — O.C.O understands that securing reliable sources of high-quality sustainable CO₂ will be critical for their expanding business, and that DAC is an obvious candidate worth exploring.
"As a company with sustainability at its heart, facilitating the development of direct air capture technology strongly aligns with our values. It also offers us an on-site source of sustainable CO₂ for use in our processes, providing a dedicated supply solution as we expand into remote regions outside the UK."
Graham Cooper,
UK Managing Director at O.C.O Technology
UK Managing Director at O.C.O Technology
The “Holy Grail” for sustainable CO₂ supply
By connecting industry directly with the carbon in our atmosphere, direct air capture offers one of the most land-efficient and sustainable sources of CO₂ on the planet. Here’s a closer look at what the integration between our DAC system and O.C.O’s facilities in Norfolk is already unlocking.
On-site production
Direct process integration
Highest-quality production
Cost-optimal output
Co-located next to O.C.O’s aggregate manufacturing processes, Mission Zero’s second DAC deployment can produce a localised supply of up to 250 tCO₂ each year directly at the point of use. This removes the costs, energy, and emissions of transportation and liquefaction which are often baked into sustainable CO₂ supply chains.
Our DAC system is seamlessly integrated with O.C.O’s processes via a direct CO₂ pipeline connected to a buffer tank, which stores and holds the atmospheric CO₂ until ready for use. O.C.O can then switch their carbonation process between atmospheric CO₂ and their existing biogenic feed.
Direct process integration requires the CO₂ from our DAC system to meet the exact specifications required by O.C.O’s reactors — in terms of purity, pressure, and temperature. Unlike some biogenic sources, our DAC does not require energy intensive clean-up and can provide a continuous supply of CO₂ at ambient temperature.
Free of energy intensive heat-based processes, our electrochemical DAC system offers one of the lowest carbon footprints and highest energy efficiencies of all known DAC methods. Able to run off intermittent renewable energy, the system’s output can be flexibly adjusted to optimise for shifting local energy profiles — producing more CO₂ when there is an abundance of cheap green energy, and scaling down when electricity prices are higher.
“The potential for DAC to be sited wherever we site an operation — without the worry of haulage and supply chain challenges — really stands out. Aside from the great sustainability stride, it provides the opportunity for us to build sites that can be self-sufficient on CO₂.”
Graham Cooper
What DAC offers building materials innovators
01
The gold standard for carbon removal credits
By giving carbon mineralisers an on-site sustainable CO2 supply — free from embedded carbon emissions of CO₂ transportation and liquefaction — DAC unlocks the potential for some of the highest-quality carbon removals. This in turn delivers high-value removal credits which command a premium in global carbon markets which are in desperate need of credible, durable carbon removals.
02
Supply predictability for existing production sites
With a reliable store of high-quality sustainable CO₂ in their buffer tank, building aggregates innovators like O.C.O can leverage DAC as a complementary supply source — tapping into atmospheric CO₂ on demand to cover any interruptions in their biogenic feed in order to guarantee supply continuity at their sites.
03
Market expansion where biogenic CO₂ isn’t viable
The ability to locate DAC virtually anywhere offers huge benefits for CO₂ users looking to expand into regions where biogenic sources simply aren’t available. Control over supply in turn offers greater control over facilities, eliminating reliance on external suppliers, market fluctuations, and tanker availability.
“We have biogenic sources of CO₂ already, but DAC CO₂ can further enhance our sustainability credentials. It can also provide the supply reliability that is critical to our business model.”
Graham Cooper
Take control of your CO₂ supply
Get in touch to see how DAC can provide a reliable on-demand supply of sustainable CO₂ directly where you need it — however remote your sites may be.
