The Solution to
Global Warming
is to Change the
Way we do
Things.
Why?
John Harrison B.Sc. B.Ec. FCPA
TecEco Managing Director
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
1
The Atmosphere
The Challenge is to Keep the Atmosphere
Stable. To do this we must take a long term
view and engineer a new way for us to live.
Source: IPCC
Lifetime in Atmosphere
Source: Sam Nelson Greenbase
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Earth's_atmosphere
17 Feb 08
900
800
700
600
Yrs
Source:
Even if the annual flow of emissions was
frozen today, the level of greenhouse
gas in the atmosphere would still reach
double its pre-industrial levels by 2050.
In fact, emissions are increasing rapidly
and the level of 550 ppm could be
reached as early as 2035.
1,000
500
400
300
200
100
0
Stern review Executive Summary Page 3 para 6
CFC
Hig h
Lo w
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
CO2
CH4
PCBs
SO2
Water
PM10
Emission
2
The Population Paradox
?
?
Undeveloped
Countries
A Planet in Crisis
Developed
Countries
Global population, consumption per capita and our footprint
on the planet are continuing to rise strongly.
The paradox: Affluence = Population Control
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
3
CO2 in the Atmosphere
Gigaton CO2
BAU
Emissions
450 ppm
?
?
Year
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
4
Correlation CO2 and Temperature
Source of graphic: Hansen, J et. al. Climate Change and Trace Gases
The correlation between temperature and CO2 in the
atmosphere over the last 450,000 years is very good. All things
being equal the simple answer is usually the right answer (Occam’s razor)
Reducing emissions will be difficult because of the correlation between energy
and fossil fuels. Even if emissions reductions were to succeed we must still get
the CO2 out of the air.
The best plan is a holistic one that reduces emissions and profitably balances
the inevitable releases from our activities with massive sequestration.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
5
Balancing CO2 in the Atmosphere


The problem is fundamentally one of CO2
balance, not emissions
There are two ways the CO2 in the
atmosphere can be balanced
• By reducing emissions.
• By using (sequestering) at least as much carbon
as we produce.

Both strategies require
• technological change on a scale never before
imagined.
• A high long term high price for carbon to drive
investment that will result in this change.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
6
Where are We?

The Kyoto Protocol
• A treaty intended to implement the objectives and principles
agreed in the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC).
• Requires governments to agree to quantified limits on their
greenhouse gas emissions, through sequential rounds of
negotiations for successive commitment periods.
• The Kyoto treaty is the result of political negotiation and
diplomatic compromise and on the surface not a lot more than
short term promises to reduce emissions that make politicians
look good, but that their successors cannot possibly keep.
• The Kyoto treaty is not a viable strategy for survival in the future
- A treaty agreeing to a long term plan is required.

Constraint
• With lots of silly “targets” with no strategy for their achievement

Talk about Carbon Capture and Storage
• Not a lot else
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
7
We are Hooked On Fossil Fuel Energy
Assuming Kyoto commitments are
met (which is unlikely) it is estimated
that global emissions will be 41%
higher in 2010 than in 1990 ( Ford, M.,
Matysek, A, Jakeman, G., Gurney, A &
Fisher B. S. 2006, Perspectives on
International Climate Change, paper
presented at the Australian
Agricultural and Resource
Economics society 50th Annual
Conference).
www.aares.info/files/2006_matysek.p
df.
Emissions targets are unlikely to be met whilst fossil fuels remain
A solution is needed of the utmost urgency to preserve history for many, many generations to
come.
Sir Richard Branson at the launch of the Virgin Earth Prize
Gaia Engineering is the way to do so – John Harrison
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
8
Fossil Fuels
“Renewable energy growth is unlikely to even
match the forecast growth for the overall electricity
market”
"History shows that transforming the primary
sources of energy require enormous investments in
infrastructure and is likely to be a 100-year
challenge“
“ExxonMobil's own research had shown that by
2030 fossil fuels would still supply about threequarters of the world's total energy demand”
Exxon Mobil Australia chairman John Dashwood American Chamber of
Commerce in Australia Business Luncheon 28 August, 2009
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
9
Global Primary Energy Consumption Fuel Mix
Source: Abare
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
10
Oil will Decline
Oil prices will naturally rise as demand outstrips supply.
Where is the R & D for oil replacement?
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
11
Research and Development into Alternatives
There is not enough research into alternatives
Composition of Australian Government energy
research and development in 2002
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
12
The Correlation Between WIP and Emissions
World Industrial Product (deflated
world `GDP' in real value - i.e. World
physical production).
CO2 emissions (in CO2 mass
units: Doubling time = 29 years.
Data: CDIAC; statistics: GDI.
The correlation between the WIP and the CO2 emissions is very high.
Source: Di Fazio, Alberto, The fallacy of pure efficiency gain measures to control future climate
change, Astronomical Observatory of Rome and the Global Dynamics Institute
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
13
The Correlation Between WIP and Emissions

The correlation between emissions
and GDP is high because:
• Fossil fuels supply >> 90% of the
world's energy. There is still a lot of coal
left.
• Energy is used to produce goods (WIP).
• Only in recent years


have we been seriously trying to improve
efficiency (most of the Kyoto effort)
there has been a shift to services with lower
CO2 intensity
Energy ~ Money ?
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
14
The Limits to Efficiency Improvements
There are may ways the second law of thermodynamics can
be enunciated but relevant to us is Lord Kelvin’s version.
“It is impossible to convert heat completely into work”
Using Carnot’s law it is possible to calculate the theoretical
maximum efficiency of any heat engine such as a power station
turbine or engine of a car, bus or train. (Try the calculator at
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/thermo/carnot.html)
Most heat engines run at much lower efficiencies than the
theoretical limit so there is still scope for improvements however
the law of diminishing returns applies in terms of cost.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
15
Efficiency Limitations to Emissions Reduction
Total per capita emissions
reduction
Rate of
Per Capita
Emissions
Reduction
Per capita emissions
reduction through Pilzer
1st law substitution
(Technology change =
resource use change)
Per capita emissions
reduction through
thermodynamic efficiency
The Future
2008
Conclusion: It is essential that R& D into substitution technologies occurs now
in order to ramp up Pilzer first law substitution later and avoid thermodynamic
constraints. This is not happening in Australia
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
16
Kyoto Strategies are Not Working
Assuming Kyoto commitments are met (which is unlikely) it is estimated that
global emissions will be 41% higher in 2010 than in 1990, 1% less than without
Kyoto.
Ford M, Matyseka M, et al. (2006). Perspectives on international climate policy. Australian Agricultural
and Resource Economics Society 50th Annual Conference, Sydney, ABARE.
www.aares.info/files/2006_matysek.pdf.
“We are tracking on worst case scenarios.”
Whetton, P, Leader, Climate Impacts & Risk Group, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research,
Aspendale, Vic, Australia in presentation “Climate Change: What is the science telling us? “
A solution is needed of the utmost urgency to preserve history for
many, many generations to come.
Sir Richard Branson at the launch of the Virgin Earth Prize
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
17
The Techno - Process
Take
Detrimental
affects on
earth
Waste
systems
Underlying the techno-process
that describes and controls
the flow of matter and energy
through the supply and
waste chains are molecular
stocks and flows. If out of
synch with earth systems
these moleconomic flows
have detrimental affects.
To reduce the impact on earth systems new technical paradigms need to be invented and
cultural changes evolve that result in materials flows with underlying molecular flows that
mimic or at least do not interfere with natural flows and that support rather than detrimentally
impact on earth systems.
I am contemplating profitable bottom up change of immense proportion and importance.
John Harrison, TecEco
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
18
Detrimental Linkages of the Techno - Process
Detrimental
Linkages that
affect earth
system flows
Take
manipulate
and make
impacts
Use impacts.
Materials are in
the TechnoSphere Utility
zone
End of
lifecycle
impacts
There is
no such
place as
“away”
Materials are everything between the take and
waste and affect earth system flows.
Greater Utility
Less Utility
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
19
Moleconomic Flows
Take → Manipulate → Make → Use → Waste
[
←Materials flow→
]
[ ← Underlying molecular flow → ]
If the underlying molecular flows are “out of tune” with
nature there is damage to the environment
e.g. heavy metals, cfc’s, c=halogen compounds and CO2
Moleconomics is the study of the form of atoms in molecules, their
flow, interactions, balances, stocks and positions. What we take from the
environment around us, how we manipulate and make materials out of
what we take and what we waste result in underlying molecular flows
that affect earth systems. These flows should mimic, balance or
minimally interfere with natural flows.
To fix the molecular flows that are impacting our planet we must first
fix the materials flows in a bottom up approach
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
20
The Earth System
Anthroposphere
The earth system
consists of positive
and negative
feedback loops.
Small changes
caused by man
such as CO2 and
other climate forcing
as well as pollution
impact right across
all interconnected
systems throughout
the global
commons.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
21
Earth Systems Science
Earth Systems
Atmospheric
composition,
climate, land
cover, marine
ecosystems,
pollution,
coastal zones,
freshwater
salinity etc.
Source graphic: NASA
Earth system science treats the entire Earth as a system in its own right, which
evolves as a result of positive and negative feedback between constituent
systems (Wiki). These systems are ideally homeostatic.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
22
The Carbon Cycle and Emissions
Emissions
from fossil
fuels and
cement
production
are a
significant
cause of
global
warming.
We need to
increase the
sedimentary
carbon sink
After: David Schimel and Lisa Dilling, National Centre for Atmospheric Research 2003
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
23
Darwin - Evolution
As many more individuals of each
species are born than can possibly
survive; and as, consequently, there is
a frequently recurring struggle for
existence, it follows that any being, if it
vary however slightly in any manner
profitable to itself, under the complex
and sometimes varying conditions of
life, will have a better chance of
surviving, and thus be naturally
selected. From the strong principle of
inheritance, any selected variety will
tend to propagate its new and modified
form
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
24
Conclusions

Natural selection applies to us.
• Charles Darwin

Natural selection is a too way street. We
influence our environment
• William E Rudderman Jarrod Dimond and
others

There is a global homeostasis and our
environment may influence us by
“naturally rejection” if it changes too much
under our influence.
• John Harrison, James Lovelock
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
25
A Future with Choices?

To avoid future disaster three
choices:
• Restraint, change the way we do
things or both.

Can we “have our cake and eat
it?”.
• Only if we change the way we do
things.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
26
Changing the Way we do Things
Without Economic Downsides

The challenge is to find ways of reducing
CO2 in the air without negatively
impacting the economy.
• Substitution to Non Fossil Fuel Sources of
Energy
I am not going to talk so much


Geothermal, Wind, Solar etc.
Nuclear
about Energy Substitution in
this presentation
• Sequestration on a Massive Scale


Geo-sequestration (clean coal, hydrogen fuel etc.) limited
Anthropogenic sequestration in the built environment
- our preferred option
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
27
Changing the Techno-Process
Take => manipulate => make => use => waste
Driven by fossil fuel energy with take and waste impacts.
By changing the
technology paradigms
we can change the
materials flows and
thus the underlying
molecular flows.
Reduce
Re-use
Recycle
This is
biomimicry!
Reduce Re-use
Take only
renewables
Manipulate
Make
Use
Waste only what is
biodegradable or can
be re-assimilated
Recycle
=> Materials =>
The Flow of Atoms and Molecules in the global commons
Moleconomics
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
28
Geosequestration




Is not safe due to leakage (China recently?)
Is not likely to be ready before 2015 for
coal fired power stations in Australia
Authoritative published studies estimate the
cost of geosequestration at between $30$140/tCO2. (a wide range due to so many
uncertainties)
Added to the cost of coal or hydrogen,
these sources of energy with
geosequestration may be more expensive
that alternatives.
A long term plan would included the required R & D now
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
29
Affect of Leakage on Geosequestration
Source: CANA (2004). Carbon Leakage and
Geosequestration, Climate Action Network Australia.
"The assumption of
exclusive reliance on
storage may be an extreme
one, however the example
illustrates that emphasis on
energy efficiency and
increased reliance on
renewable energy must be
priority areas for greenhouse
gas mitigation. The higher
the expected leakage rate
and the larger the
uncertainty, the less
attractive geosequestration
is compared to other
mitigation alternatives such
as shifting to renewable
energy sources, and
improved efficiency in
production and consumption
of energy."
Downloadable Model at
http://www.tececo.com/files/spreadsheets/Gaia
EngineeringVGeoSequestrationV1_26Apr08.xls
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
30
Size of Natural Carbon Sinks
Modified from Figure 2 Ziock, H. J. and D. P. Harrison. "Zero Emission Coal Power, a New Concept."
from http://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/proceedings/01/carbon_seq/2b2.pdf by the inclusion of a
bar to represent sedimentary sinks
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
31
Carbon Sink Permanence
Carbonate
sediment
40,000,000
Gt
Sequestration
Permanence
and time
Plants 600
Gt
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
32
Synopsis


We must accept our long term role of maintaining “spaceship
earth” as planetary engineers and find ways of maintaining the
level of carbon dioxide, oxygen and other gases in the
atmosphere at desirable levels.
We cannot possibly arrest the alarming increases in
atmospheric carbon dioxide currently occurring through
efficiency, emissions reduction (constraint) or substitution
alone

Geo-sequestration is at best short term and at worst highly
risky.

We have a good chance of preserving the future if we mimic
nature and find profitable uses for carbon and other wastes.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
33
Synopsis (2)





Uses for carbon and other wastes must be economically driven and result in
a real value that puts profit in the pocket of a large number who will as a
consequence wish to engage otherwise they cannot be implemented on the
massive scale required.
Anthropogenic sequestration as man made carbonate in the built
environment is a new technology platform that has the promise of profitably
sequestering massive amounts of carbon profitably.
The markets created for man made carbonate in buildings are insatiable,
large enough and indefinitely continuing.
Anthropogenic sequestration by building with man made carbonate is doable
and most likely presents the only option we have for saving the planet from
runaway climate change until such time as safe and reliable forms of
energy alternative to fossil fuels can be developed
Anthropogenic sequestration by building with man made carbonate must be
part of any long term planetary maintenance strategy.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
34
Biomimicry - Geomimicry




The term biomimicry was popularised by the book of the
same name written by Janine Benyus
Biomimicry is a method of solving problems that uses
natural processes and systems as a source of knowledge
and inspiration.
It involves nature as model, measure and mentor.
Geomimicry is similar to biomimicry but models
geological rather than biological processes.
The theory behind biomimicry is that natural processes and systems have
evolved over several billion years through a process of research and
development commonly referred to as evolution. A reoccurring theme in natural
systems is the cyclical flow of matter in such a way that there is no waste of
matter and very little of energy.
Geomimicry is a natural extension of biomimicry and applies to geological rather
than living processes
All natural processes are very economical. We must
also be MUCH more economical
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
35
Learning to Use Carbon - Geomimicry
for Planetary Engineers?

Large tonnages of carbon (7% of the crust) were put
away during earth’s geological history as limestone,
dolomite and magnesite, mostly by the activity of
plants and animals.
• Orders of magnitude more than as coal or petroleum!


Shellfish built shells from carbon and trees turn it into
wood.
These same plants and animals wasted nothing
• The waste from one is the food or home for another.


Because of the colossal size of the flows involved the
answer to the problems of greenhouse gas and waste
is to use them both in an insatiable, large and
indefinitely continuing market.
Such a market exists for building and construction
materials.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
36
Geomimicry for Planetary Engineers?
The required paradigm shift in resource usage will not
occur because it is the right thing to do. It can only
happen economically.
To put an economic value on carbon and wastes
We have no choice but to:
•invent new technical paradigms such as offered by TecEco.
•Evolve culturally to effectively use new these technical paradigms
By using carbon dioxide and other wastes as building
materials we can economically reduce their
concentration in the global commons.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
37
Sequestration of Carbon and Wastes as Building Materials


During earth's geological history large tonnages of carbon
were put away as limestone and other carbonates and as
coal and petroleum by the activity of plants and animals.
Sequestering carbon in calcium and magnesium
carbonate materials and other wastes in the built
environment mimics nature in that carbon is used in the
homes or skeletal structures of most plants and animals.
CO2
In eco-cement concretes the
binder is carbonate and the
aggregates are preferably
carbonates and wastes. This is
“geomimicry”
CO2
CO2
C
CO2
Waste
Pervious pavement
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
38
Geomimicry

There are 1.2-3 grams of
magnesium and about .4 grams of
calcium in every litre of seawater.



Carbonate sediments such as
these cliffs represent billions
of years of sequestration
and cover 7% - 8% of the crust.
There is enough
calcium and magnesium
in seawater with replenishment
to last billions of years at current
needs for sequestration.
To survive we must build our
homes like these seashells using
CO2 and alkali metal cations. This
is geomimicry
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
39
Anthropogenic Sequestration Using Gaia
Engineering will Modify the Carbon Cycle
CO2 in the air and water
Cellular
Respiration
Photosynthesis burning and
decay
by plants and
algae
Limestone
coal and oil
burning
Organic
compounds made
by autotrophs
Cellular Respiration
Decay by
fungi and
bacteria
Gaia Engineering,
(Greensols, TecEco
Kiln and EcoCements)
Organic compounds
made by heterotrophs
Consumed by
heterotrophs
(mainly animals)
More about Gaia Engineering at
http://www.tececo.com.au/simple.gaiaengineering_summary.php
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
40
Building and Construction Represents an Insatiable,
Large and Indefinitely Continuing Market for Man Made
Carbonate Sequestration





The built environment is made of materials and is our
footprint on earth.
• It comprises buildings and infrastructure.
Construction materials comprise
• 70% of materials flows (buildings, infrastructure etc.)
• 40-50% of waste that goes to landfill (15 % of new
materials going to site are wasted.)
Around 50 billion tonnes of building materials are used
annually on a world wide basis.
The single biggest materials flow (after water) is concrete at
around 18 billion tonnes or > 2 tonnes per man, woman and
child on the planet.
40% of total energy in the industrialised world
(researchandmarkets)
Why not use magnesium carbonate aggregates and building components
from Greensols and Eco-Cements from TecEco to bind them together?
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
41
Only the Built Environment is Big Enough
The built environment is our footprint, the major proportion of the
techno-sphere and our lasting legacy on the planet. It comprises
buildings and infrastructure
Source of graphics: Nic Svenningson UNEP SMB2007
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
42
Economically Driven Technological Change
$ - ECONOMICS - $
New, more profitable
technical paradigms are
required that result in
more sustainable
moleconomic flows that
mimic natural flows or
better, reverse damaging
flows from the Techno
Process.
Change is only possible economically. It will not
happen because it is necessary or right.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
43
Consider Sustainability as Where Culture and Technology Meet
Increase in demand/price ratio for greater
sustainability due to cultural change.
$
ECONOMICS
We must rapidly
move both the
supply and demand
curves for
sustainability
Equilibrium
Shift
Supply
Greater Value/for impact
(Sustainability) and
economic growth
Increase in supply/price ratio for
more sustainable products due to
technical innovation.
Demand
#
A measure of the degree of sustainability is where the demand for more
sustainable technologies is met by their supply.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
44
Changing the Technology Paradigm
It is not so much a matter of “dematerialisation” or
constraint as a question of changing the underlying
moleconomic flows. We need materials that require
less energy to make them, do not pollute the
environment with CO2 and other releases, last much
longer and that contribute properties that reduce
lifetime energies. The key is to change the technology
paradigms
“By enabling us to make productive use of particular
raw materials, technology determines what constitutes
a physical resource1”
1.Pilzer, Paul Zane, Unlimited Wealth, The Theory and Practice of Economic Alchemy, Crown Publishers
Inc. New York.1990
Or more simply – the technical paradigm
determines what is or is not a resource!
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
45
Cultural Change is Happening!








Al Gore (SOS)
CSIRO reports
STERN Report
Lots of Talkfest
IPCC Report
Political change
Branson Prize The media have an important
growing role
Live Earth
(07/07/07)
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
46
Gaia Engineering Flowchart
CaO
Industrial CO2
Brine
or Sea
water
Extraction
inputs and
outputs
depending on
method
chosen
TecEco
Tec-Kiln
Portland Cement
Manufacture
MgO
TecEco
Cement
Manufacture
MgCO3
and
CaCO3
“Stone”
Extraction
Fresh
Water
Clays
EcoCements
TecCements
Building
components &
aggregates
Building waste
Other waste
Built Environment
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
47
Gaia Engineering Process Diagram
Inputs:
Atmospheric or industrial CO2,
brines, waste acid or bitterns, other wastes
Outputs:
Gaia Engineering delivers profitable
outcomes whilst reversing underlying
undesirable moleconomic flows from other
less sustainable techno-processes outside
the tececology.
Carbon or carbon compounds
Magnesium compounds
Carbonate building materials, potable water,
valuable commodity salts.
Carbonate building components
CO2
Solar or solar
derived energy
CO2
CO2
MgO
Eco-Cement
TecEco
MgCO2
Cycle
TecEco
Kiln
MgCO3
Coal
Fossil fuels
Oil
Presentation downloadable
from www.tececo.com
CO2
Extraction
Process
1.29 gm/l Mg
.412 gm/l Ca
48
The Technical Case
The Carbon Cycle
Atmospheric
increase
= Emissions from
fossil fuels
+ Net emissions from
changes in land use
- Oceanic
uptake
- Missing
carbon sink
11.72 (±0.2)
= 23.08 (±0.4)
+ 8.016 (±0.8)
- 8.79
(±0.7)
- 10.62 (±1.1)
Source: The Woods Hole Institute converted to billion metric tonnes or petograms CO2
TecEco plan through Gaia Engineering to modify the carbon
cycle by creating a new man made carbon sink in the built
environment. The need for a new and very large sink can be
appreciated by considering the balance sheet of global carbon
in the crust after Ziock, H. J. and D. P. Harrison[5] depicted in
another slide.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
49
Making Carbonate Building Materials to
Solve the Global Warming Problem



Our new technologies will enable easy low
cost production of carbonate building
materials.
Our source of calcium or magnesium is
from seawater, brines or bitterns and our
source of CO2 can be from the air.
If carbonates such as magnesite were our
building material of choice and we could
make it without releases as is the case
with our Gaia Engineering, we have the
problem of too much in the atmosphere as
good as solved!
Anthropogenic sequestration - building with
carbonate and waste is the answer
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
50
Why Magnesium Carbonates?


Because of the low molecular weight of
magnesium, it is ideal for scrubbing CO2
out of the air and sequestering the gas
into the built environment:
Due to the lighter molar mass of
magnesium more CO2 is captured than in
calcium systems as the calculations below
show.
CO2
44

 52%
MgCO 3 84



CO 2
44

 43%
CaCO3 101
At 2.09% of the crust magnesium is the
8th most abundant element
Sea-water contains 1.29 g/l compared to
calcium at .412 g/l
Magnesium compounds have low pH and
polar bond in composites making them
suitable for the utilisation of other wastes.
Seawater
Reference
Data
Cati
on
radiu
g/l
s
H20 (pm)
Chloride (Cl--)
19
167
Sodium (Na+)
10.5
116
Sulfate (S04--)
2.7
?
Magnesium
(Mg++)
1.29
86
Calcium
(Ca++)
0.41
2
114
Potassium
(K+)
0.39
9
152
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
51
How much Carbonate to Balance Emissions?
MgO + H2O => Mg(OH)2 + CO2 + 2H2O => MgCO3.3H2O
40.31 + 18(l) => 58.31 + 44.01(g) + 2 X 18(l) => 138.368 molar masses.
44.01 parts by mass of CO2 ~= 138.368 parts by mass MgCO3.3H2O
1 ~= 138.368/44.01= 3.144
12 billion tonnes CO2 ~= 37.728 billion tonnes of nesquehonite
MgO + H2O => Mg(OH)2 + CO2 + 2H2O => MgCO3
40.31 + 18(l) => 58.31 + 44.01(g) + 2 X 18(l) => 84.32 molar masses.
CO2 ~= MgCO3
44.01 parts by mass of CO2 ~= 84.32 parts by mass MgCO3
1 ~= 84.32/44.01= 1.9159
12 billion tonnes CO2 ~= 22.99 billion tonnes magnesite
The density of magnesite is 3 gm/cm3 or 3 tonne/metre3
Thus 22.9/3 billion cubic metres ~= 7.63 cubic kilometres of magnesite
CaO + H2O => Ca(OH)2 + CO2 + 2H2O => CaCO3
56.08 + 18(l) => 74.08 + 44.01(g) + 2 X 18(l) => 100.09 molar masses.
CO2 ~= CaCO3
44.01 parts by mass of CO2 ~= 100.09 parts by mass MgCO3
1 ~= 100.09/44.01= 2.274
12 billion tonnes CO2 ~= 27.29 billion tonnes calcite (limestone)
The density of calcite is 2.71 gm/cm3 or 2.71 tonne/metre3
Thus 27.29/2.71 billion cubic metres ~= 10.07 cubic kilometres of limestone
Full calculation: http://www.tececo.com/sustainability.carbon_cycles_sinks.php
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
52
Technical implications



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
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A range of hydraulic concretes can be specified in
which a variable hydroxide component is more or
less carbonated and in which the silicate
components (e.g. CSH) play an important
catalytic role.
Coarse and fine aggregate can be made in the
same way.
The kinetics are just as important as the
thermodynamics of the chemistry.
The pH Eh stability fields of concrete can be
maintained so steel reinforcing can continue to be
used (subject matter of a new patent).
Mixed calcium-magnesium carbonation does not
result in shrinkage problems.
Such concretes are suitable for at least the
Pareto proportion of uses.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
53
How Do we Make Carbonate?


The key is to understand the nature of
polar or hydrogen bonding in water as it is
this bonding that keeps ions such as
calcium and magnesium as dissolved
species.
We have our own highly secret ideas about
how to sufficiently weaken hydrogen
bonding to cause massive precipitation of
carbonates and there are other contenders
such as the Calera and Greensols process.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
54
Global Producion of Cement and Concrete
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
55
The Economic Case


The profit margin for the production of cement and
concrete is low.
• Generally less than 5% more often less than 3%.
It follows that:
• A carbon cost if fully implemented (i.e. a zero tax or
cap) is likely to be much more than the current
profit margin.
• A carbon credit (offset) of the same amount or more
(as in the case of Gaia Engineering) would result in
considerably more profit than is currently being
made.
• If fully implemented with both binder and
aggregates made of man made carbonate the
potential trade in credits or offsets is enormous.
• There is likely to be a high level of government
support if the technology is promoted by the
industry.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
56
Gaia Engineering Flow chart
CaO
Industrial CO2
Brine
or Sea
water
Extraction
inputs and
outputs
depending
on method
chosen
TecEco
Tec-Kiln
Portland Cement
Manufacture
MgO
TecEco
Cement
Manufacture
MgCO3
and
CaCO3
“Stone”
Extraction
Fresh
Water
Clays
EcoCements
TecCements
Building
components &
aggregates
Building waste
Other waste
Built Environment
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
57
Gaia Engineering Process Diagram
Inputs:
Atmospheric or industrial CO2,
brines, waste acid or bitterns, other wastes
Outputs:
Gaia Engineering delivers profitable
outcomes whilst reversing underlying
undesirable moleconomic flows from other
less sustainable techno-processes outside
the tececology.
Carbon or carbon compounds
Magnesium compounds
Carbonate building materials, potable water,
valuable commodity salts.
Carbonate building components
CO2
Solar or solar
derived energy
CO2
CO2
MgO
Eco-Cement
TecEco
MgCO2
Cycle
TecEco
Kiln
MgCO3
Coal
Fossil fuels
Oil
Presentation downloadable
from www.tececo.com
CO2
Extraction
Process
1.29 gm/l Mg
.412 gm/l Ca
58
Anthropogenic Sequestration Using Gaia Engineering
will Modify the Carbon Cycle
CO2 in the air and water
Cellular
Respiration
Photosynthesis burning and
decay
by plants and
algae
Limestone
coal and oil
burning
Organic
compounds made
by autotrophs
Cellular Respiration
Decay by
fungi and
bacteria
Gaia Engineering,
(Greensols, TecEco
Kiln and EcoCements)
Organic compounds
made by heterotrophs
Consumed by
heterotrophs
(mainly animals)
More about Gaia Engineering at
http://www.tececo.com.au/simple.gaiaengineering_summary.php
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
59
Implementation Difficulties



Long supply chain. Too big for TecEco to
change?
No long term secure price for carbon to
drive investment.
Building and construction has huge
potential for emissions reduction yet is in
the “too hard” basket for most
governments because of perceived
difficulties in implementation.
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
60
Driving the Change to Green
Change
Standards
Change
Rewards
• Performance based
• Introduce peer
review for liability
protection
• Production of
numbers as a result
of which
improvements in
sustainability can
be measured
• Performance based
• Rewards for
numbers as a result
of which
improvements in
sustainability can
be measured. E.g.
Reduction in
process emissions
compared to BAU
Develop LCA
Tools for
measuring
improvements.
• Difficult to measure
affect and relevant
contribution of
materials and
design to lifetime
energies
• Lifetime energies
most important
Introduce
Carbon Trading
• Broad based and
similar to GST
system
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
Gaia Engineering Summary

Gaia Engineering is:
• Potentially profitable
• Technically feasible
• Would put the concrete industry back in
control of the carbon agenda
• Solve the industries profitability
problems
• Solve the global warming problem
Presentation downloadable from www.tececo.com
62