CarbonCure enters 10-year, $30M carbon credit purchase agreement

Sources: Invert Inc., Calgary; CarbonCure Technologies, Halifax, N.S.; CP staff CarbonCure Technologies has signed a pioneering carbon credit purchase agreement underpinned by its process of mineralizing and storing carbon dioxide in ready mixed or manufactured concrete. Valued at $30 million over a 10-year window, it entails majority and minority funding partners, Invert Inc. of Calgary and Ripple Inc. of Ottawa,…

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Foundation, NRMCA ease research proposal referral process

Source: RMC Research & Education Foundation, Alexandria, Va. The RMC Foundation is collaborating with the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association and its Research, Engineering & Standards Committee (RES) on identification of industry research needs and referral of proposals for potential funding. Members of an RES task group, chaired by Bruce Blair, president of Consumers Concrete in Kalamazoo, Mich., have developed…

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Energy Department, Meritage Homes probe walls’ thermal mass

Sources: Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, Calif.; CP staff A $65 million Department of Energy (DOE) program will support technologies enabling energy-efficient homes or buildings to interact with one another and the electric grid, potentially lowering greenhouse gas emission levels and improving power infrastructure. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette announced the funding commitment during an Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)…

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Mineralized aggregate developer Blue Planet secures $10M commitment

Sources: Blue Planet Systems Corp., Los Gatos, Calif.; CP staff A $10 million funding round positions Blue Planet to advance a carbon capture and utilization system netting concrete-grade synthetic limestone. The Silicon Valley company is approaching commercialization of a process that converts diluted carbon dioxide from fossil fuel-powered electricity generating stations, cement or steel mills, and petroleum refineries to carbonate…

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Investment syndicate strengthens CarbonCure ties to Amazon, Microsoft

rendering Amazon HQ2 project

Sources: CarbonCure Technologies, Halifax, Nova Scotia; CP staff A funding round for CarbonCure Technologies, developer of carbon dioxide-based processes for optimizing portland cement and compressive strength development in concrete, has once again attracted principals or affiliates of top technology brands. 

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Road Builders’ Highway Dashboard: Investment transparency in overdrive

Sources: American Road and Transportation Builders Association, Washington, D.C.; CP staff

The “ARTBA Highway Dashboard: A 50-State Guide to the Benefits of Federal Investment” is a first of its kind, interactive tool providing the public and elected officials a clear look at how and where each state invests transportation project-designated tax dollars.

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Lawmakers start review of INVEST highway funding plan

Sources: Office of Representative Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.); CP staff

U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Pete DeFazio has scheduled a June 17 markup of “Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America” (INVEST) Act, which authorizes $319 billion in highway outlays and $500 billion overall for fiscal years 2021-2025. A successor to the federal highway funding program expiring September 30, it enables completion of critical projects through long-term, sustainable funding, and contains strong Buy America provisions and labor protections.

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Transportation groups see nearly one-third drop in state DOT budgets

Sources: Highway Materials Group, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Washington, D.C.

The 11-member Highway Materials Group has requested that U.S. House and Senate leadership consider granting immediate use of nearly $50 billion in flexible federal funding to offset revenue shortfalls constraining state department of transportation budgets.

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Report measures federal agencies’ stepped up role in water infrastructure

Source: Bluefield Research, Boston

Federal government participation in rehabilitating U.S. water utility infrastructure is taking on even greater importance than in the past as municipalities are challenged to keep pace with the aging of 70,000-plus water & wastewater treatment systems and 3 million miles of underground pipe networks. With overall public spending on water utilities declining year-over-year in five of the last 10 years, core federal programs are proving to be more critical in addressing investment needs in urban and rural treatment systems and networks, according to water market-wise Bluefield Research. 

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