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TBM and Greenore sign business alliance agreement
to promote CCU calcium carbonate
Tokyo, January 19, 2024 – TBM is pleased to announce the business alliance with Greenore to promote CCU (Carbon Capture and Utilization) calcium carbonate developed by Greenore and development of “Next-generation LIMEX” made with CCU calcium carbonate. The CCU calcium carbonate is made from CO2 captured from emitted gas and is expected to be carbon negative, meaning that the amount of greenhouse gases captured and converted is more than the amount of greenhouse gases emitted, according to the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
CCU, or Carbon Recycling technology, which separates and recovers emitted CO2 and reuses it as a raw material for various carbon compounds, is attracting global attention as one of the essential technologies for reducing CO2 emissions.
TBM has the unique technology to develop calcium carbonate-based material, obtained through the development of limestone-based material LIMEX*. Greenore has the unique CCU technology to produce calcium carbonate from CO2-containing emitted gas. Through the partnership of TBM and Greenore, we aim to promote and expand the use of carbon-recycled products with low environmental impact.
*LIMEX is an inorganic filler-dispersion composite material containing more than 50% inorganic materials such as calcium carbonate.
■ Background
In developing the Next-generation LIMEX made from CCU CaCO3 instead of limestone, TBM has been working on generating calcium carbonate by utilizing CO2 gas emitted from factories and power plants, with support from NEDO and Tohoku University. TBM’s strategy is based on the roadmap of the Japanese government's "Basic Policy toward the Realization of GX (Green Transformation)."
Greenore is a spin-off from Columbia University since 2016, co-founded by Professor Alissa Park and Dr Sean Zhou, a research team at Columbia that worked on developing CCUS technology. In 2023, through a joint venture with Baogang Group, a Chinese state-owned steel manufacturer, Greenore launched a mass production plant of CCU calcium carbonate ahead of the rest of the world.
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Overview
TBM has developed "Next-generation LIMEX" with CCU calcium carbonate produced by Greenore. The CCU calcium carbonate is expected to be carbon-negative by capturing CO2 emitted from chemical plants and chemically synthesizing the CO2 with calcium ions in steel slag, a byproduct from steel mills. This innovative “Next-generation LIMEX” product was presented as a prototype at the Davos Meeting 2024.
Through this alliance, TBM and Greenore are leveraging their strengths to promote CCU calcium carbonate use, such as below:
-TBM's development of Next-generation LIMEX using CCU calcium carbonate as the main raw material.
-Exclusive promotion and test marketing by TBM of Greenore’s CCU calcium carbonate in Japan.
-Exclusive feasibility study by TBM and Greenore for future CCU calcium carbonate production in Japan.
These efforts will embody the vision of both companies to be carbon-neutral and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society.
About Next-generation LIMEX
We are pleased to announce that we could successfully develop the Next-generation LIMEX, which will be made mainly from CCU calcium carbonate. CCU calcium carbonate absorbs CO2 from emission gas and is expected to be carbon negative. We are very happy to partner with Greenore to promote not only LIMEX but also the CCU calcium carbonate widely to contribute to building a decarbonized society. Greenore's mission is to create a better planet for humanity. TBM and Greenore share the same vision to become a leading company in sustainability business for future generations. TBM will continue to develop innovative technologies and implement them in society to achieve decarbonization and a circular economy.
■ Message from TBM Co., Ltd. CEO Nobuyoshi Yamasaki
It is truly a privilege to partner with TBM to co-develop and promote the use of CCU calcium carbonate based products such as LIMEX. Greenore’s team has been dedicated to the lab-to-market since a decade ago at Columbia University and has successfully operated the world’s first steel slag-based commercial carbon mineralization plant in 2023. This collaboration brings the carbon mineralization technology to the next level. We can’t wait to see more LIMEX products being used in our daily lives. Sharing a common goal for the sustainability of our planet with TBM, Greenore will continue its effort to launch CCU plants around the world to contribute to the global decarbonization mission.
■ Message from Greenore Limited CEO Xiaozhou Sean Zhou
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About TBM Co., Ltd.
TBM is a company based in Japan specializing in developing and delivering LIMEX, an innovative new material mainly made from inorganic materials. The basic patents of LIMEX have been registered in over 40 countries and introduced to over 10,000 organizations. LIMEX is registered in the Sustainable Technology Promotion Platform "STePP" by UNIDO as a recyclable material that can be an alternative to plastic and paper. By supplying and recycling LIMEX, TBM aims to solve plastic waste, resource depletion, and various environmental issues.