Cementitious material process developer Queens Carbon has secured $10 million in seed funding to support expanded engineering capability and construction of a 2,000-tpy demonstration pilot facility at the Buzzi Unicem USA plant in Stockertown, Pa.
The pilot will further validate technology yielding supplementary cementitious material or hydraulic cement at a fraction of the temperatures (> 1,400°C) behind the high carbon dioxide emissions factor attending portland cement production. Buzzi Unicem USA joined lead investor Clean Energy Ventures, plus participants Plug and Play and Clean Energy Venture Group, in the round – bringing Queens Carbon funding to date to $30 million.
QUEENS CARBON Q-SYSTEM
“We know that achieving our goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 demands forward-thinking solutions to enhance both our operations and environmental performance,” said Buzzi S.p.A. Executive Director and Chief Technology Officer Luigi Buzzi. “This pilot with Queens Carbon reflects that commitment—merging breakthrough technology with real-world application. By adopting new approaches and reimagining conventional methods, we’re making meaningful progress on our journey to net zero.”
“An important step to securing America’s energy leadership is investing in companies that will broaden domestic manufacturing while reducing energy demand and cost in the most carbon-intensive sectors,” added Clean Energy Ventures Co-Founder and Managing Partner David Miller. “Queens Carbon’s technology will not only safeguard the critical supply of cement for infrastructure but open up a new pathway for decarbonized industrial materials.”
The Queens Carbon technology is rooted in novel hydrothermal chemistry, leveraging steam and pressure to drive key chemical reactions in abundantly available raw material feedstocks. The charter SCM product can replace up to 50 percent of portland cement in concrete mix designs. The Stockertown demonstration stands to prove the firm’s modular production concept, allowing seamless, parallel integration with existing cement operations.
“Decarbonizing cement at scale while remaining cost-competitive requires first principles thinking, a world-class team, and the right financial and strategic partners,” observed Queens Carbon CEO Daniel Kopp. “With support from Clean Energy Ventures, Buzzi Unicem USA and the U.S. Department of Energy, we’re building next-generation technology and assembling the creative talent needed to drive industry revenues to move cement innovation forward and significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions from cement production, all without a green premium.”
