Sucking up CO2Carbon-negative roadmaking.
Big Picture
The world is covered with 40 million miles of roads. Roads are the veins of our society, but they don’t come without pitfalls. Building and maintaining a road requires extracting mountains of raw material, heating, and binding bitumen–a nasty tar form of petroleum–and repaving year after year, all of which racks up four tCO2e for every 100 feet paved, emitting 400 MtCO2e each year.
How it Works
Carbon Crusher’s solarpunk batmobiles crush up damaged asphalt and gravel, mix it with lignin-based binders, and re-lay the roads like new. Derived from paper production waste, their binders are more flexible than standard heavy oil binders, reducing cracking from any weather condition. Recycling materials, cutting out bitumen, and high heat avoid 3.5 tCO2e per 100 feet while the lignin sequesters another 1.5.
Unfair Advantage
Carbon Crusher’s roads are just plain cheaper, faster, and stronger. On-site, low-temp road recycling limits downtime for roadwork and the use of costly materials, slashing overall costs by 20%. After one pass over to crush and another to repave, the new roads can be used on Day 1. The higher durability of their binders keeps their roads hard and smooth for another 15-20 years, further slashing maintenance costs.
1.5
Tons of CO2e
removed per 100 feet of road
HAAKON BRUNELL CEO & CO-FOUNDER
Haakon was co-founder and CEO of Katapult, the top impact accelerator in Scandinavia. He was previously an Associate Partner at McKinsey.
HANS ARNE FLÅTO COO & CO-FOUNDER
Hans has been the CEO, Managing Director, and Chairman of numerous manufacturing, defense, and infrastructure companies in Norway.
This Norwegian start-up makes carbon-negative roads
Fast Company
Carbon Crusher revolutionises sustainable road resurfacing
Sustainability Magazine