Atmosphere Newsletter: Issue 2
Concrete, Lithium, & Cleaner Water
Climate change discourse diverts into a doomsday narrative too often for our liking. We created the Atmosphere Newsletter to offer a reprieve from anxious environmentalism and a spotlight on inspiring green tech alternatives. In our second issue, we’ll be covering:
Brimstone: Deeply Decarbonized Cement to Build the Future of Infrastructure
Lilac: A Better Way to Make Lithium for Electric Vehicle Batteries
We hope you enjoy! If you do, consider subscribing below to get the Atmosphere Newsletter delivered to your inbox every other Monday.
Brimstone: Deeply Decarbonized Cement to Build the Future of Infrastructure
We live in a world built of concrete – our buildings, our roads, our bridges. It is the most used, human-developed substance on earth and is only increasing in use as more parts of the world develop. Unfortunately, cement, the key binder in concrete, is extremely energy-intensive and highly carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissive. So much so, in fact, that it causes concrete production to represent 8-9% of all human-driven CO2e emissions annually.
Traditional cement, also known as Portland cement, is made by heating limestone, as well as other materials, up to 1,450 degrees Celsius (2,640 degrees Fahrenheit). This process is powered, almost exclusively, by fossil fuels, but the chemical reaction produced from exposing the materials to heat also emits CO2e leading to an almost 1:1 ratio of kilograms of cement to kilograms emitted CO2e.
There are many solutions being explored covering areas such as circularity, energy replacements, material replacements, and more.
One company making headlines in cement innovation is Brimstone. They fall into the category of material replacement with the solution of using carbon-free silicate rock, a naturally abundant resource globally, instead of limestone. Being carbon-free means that, when processed, this rock doesn't release CO2e eliminating emissions typically associated with the cement making from the start.
Portland cement uses supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) to improve its strength, quality, and durability. SCMs have to be sourced separately from the cement creation process itself, often coming from industrial byproducts such as fly ash. With Brimstone’s process, the silicate rock produces both the cement and the SCMs, eliminating the need for additional sourcing and keeping another part of the process carbon-free.
Not only is Brimstone’s cement non-emissive, but it also serves as a carbon removal technology. Silicate rock, in addition to the materials needed for the cement and the SCM, produces magnesium as a bi-product of the cement creation. Magnesium can bind with CO2, forming magnesium carbonate and permanently removing it from the atmosphere.
In Spring 2024 the Department of Energy invested $189 million in Brimstone to fund the building of their first commercial plant, signaling Brimstone as a leader in addressing the “hard to abate” sector.
This cement is chemically the same as traditional cement, and performs identically, but has none of the associated emissions offering a clear and clean alternative to traditional Portland cement.
Lilac: A Better Way to Make Lithium for Electric Vehicle Batteries
The world’s growing demand for Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries to decarbonize road transportation may require a least a 20x increase in lithium supply and there’s no way to meet that type of growth with conventional processing techniques as shown above (CMBC). Road transportation alone accounts for ~15% of global CO2 emissions and lithium is a critical component of EV batteries that constitute ~90% of the global EV battery market (McKinsey, IEA). You should pay attention to an emerging solution known as Ion Exchange Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE):
Lower prices for electric vehicles (EVs): Ion Exchange DLE results in substantially higher lithium recovery rates (~80-98%) than conventional methods (~30-50%) all while also being ~70-100x faster. Higher lithium recovery rates and faster processing would help de-bottleneck the EV battery supply chain – driving battery costs lower and allowing for EVs to be more widely adopted.
Cleans up the lithium supply chain: Ion Exchange DLE enhances the lithium supply chain by significantly reducing land use, water consumption, and CO2 emissions compared to conventional salar brine processing and hard rock mining. It also minimizes the environmental and community impact of lithium processing, which is critical for regions under water or economic stress.
Although currently cost-effective, conventional lithium processing methods are highly energy, land, and water-intensive while being intolerably slow and environmentally harmful. Salar brines namely from Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia in the Lithium Triangle contain ~70% of known lithium resources globally (ScienceDirect). Conventional methods to process salar brines and extract lithium use massive evaporation ponds that span hundreds of square miles, take 12-18 months, consume ~65% of the region’s water supply, and contaminate local drinking water, agricultural irrigation, and fishing systems – all while only recovering ~30-50% of the available lithium (Lilac, Harvard, Wired).
Demand for lithium is not going anywhere, and we should support pioneering novel solutions to sustainably source lithium for high-performance, high-range EV batteries. Emerging DLE solutions have substantially higher recovery rates of 80-98% of useful lithium with fewer emissions, less land, less water, less energy, and less time! Amongst many types of DLE, the Ion Exchange DLE technology of Lilac, is a breakthrough that has been proven in 2 demonstration plants in the US and Chile, and a scaled demonstration plant in Argentina. Lilac’s Ion Exchange technology also has other advantages beyond its spectacular 80-98% lithium recovery performance (Lilac, IBAT):
Here’s how Ion Exchange DLE of salar brines in South America works (Benchmark, CNBC, LII Consulting, Lilac):
Crude brine is pumped up from aquifers found below salt flats. Crude brine undergoes Ph, temperature, and salinity adjustments to pre-treat the brine before processing.
A solid ion material (ceramic or polymer beads) is then used to separate ions from the brine solution, through a process of exchanging ions based on particular charge and size. Lilac’s ceramic bead, created with nano-coating, selectively absorbs lithium from the brine while releasing a hydrogen ion and allowing unwanted minerals to pass.
The resulting resin is then washed with an acidic solution, typically hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid. The chlorine of hydrochloric acid reacts with the lithium-ion, forming lithium chloride and a hydrogen ion. The lithium chloride is flushed out of the system while the hydrogen ion remains stuck to the ceramic bead.
The lithium chloride is then treated with sodium carbonate that yields EV battery-grade lithium carbonate and sodium chloride, or table salt.
We have the technologies today to meet EV battery demand far more quickly and sustainably than conventional methods could ever achieve. Ion Exchange DLE and other breakthrough forms of DLE solutions may enable a faster, cleaner lithium supply chain and de-bottleneck the EV battery supply chain – driving battery costs lower and allowing for EVs to be more widely adopted and decarbonizing road transportation.
Wasteshark: Aquatic Drones to Clean our Waterways
Imagine a world without pollution in our waterways, where rivers, lakes, and bays are clear and teeming with life, providing clean water and healthier environments. Currently, agricultural runoff, sewage, wastewater, oil pollution, and various chemical and physical wastes continuously enter our waterways. These pollutants can alter the water’s pH, reduce oxygen levels, disrupt chemical balances, and have detrimental effects on both the environment and human health.
The impact of pollution is worsened by climate change, which intensifies extreme weather events, leading to increased debris and runoff. Additionally, pollution hinders water's ability to absorb CO2, and warmer temperatures promote harmful algae blooms. However, innovative technological solutions can bridge the gap between these challenges.
One notable example is the zero-emission marine pollution collection and monitoring robot, WasteShark, developed by RanMarine. Inspired by whale sharks, these aquatic drones filter water and monitor ecosystems while collecting waste, including plastic.
The WasteShark employs advanced technology, including autonomous 4G-guided missions, ensuring effective operation in aquatic environments. Weighing 72 kg (159 lbs), these robots use electric thrusters for movement.
Equipped with Lidar anti-collision software, the drone navigates precisely within a 5 km (3 mile) radius using radio-controlled guidance. In autonomous mode, it operates for up to 8 hours, reaching speeds of up to 3 km/h (1.6 knots) and cleaning at a rate of 500 kg (110 lbs) per day—equivalent to the daily waste produced by 22 Americans.
The WasteShark excels in collecting both biomass and plastic waste, effectively removing floating debris such as algae and common duckweed from ponds and canals. It features a removable basket for easy waste disposal and redeployment.
Beyond physical debris removal, the WasteShark also focuses on data collection, providing crucial insights through a suite of sensors that measure temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, depth, and turbidity. GPS data tagging ensures precise measurements, complemented by online access to live data for immediate insights into water quality. These insights can inform how water resources should be managed and where additional remediation technologies may be needed.
Whether clearing biomass, collecting plastic waste, or harvesting real-time data, the WasteShark represents the possibility of addressing environmental issues like pollution without increasing emissions.
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