Carbonfree Chemicals

Carbonfree Chemicals operates in the carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) sector, providing a technology-based solution for hard-to-abate industries. The company’s business model centers on capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions directly from industrial point sources and converting them into valuable, carbon-negative chemicals. This approach differs from models that simply store captured carbon, as Carbonfree Chemicals generates revenue through the sale of the created chemical products, making the process profitable for both the company and its industrial partners. The company often covers the capital and operating costs of its on-site plants, removing a significant barrier to adoption for its clients.

The company's technology was invented by Joe Jones, the current Chief Technology Officer, who began developing the process nearly two decades ago. Jones, a chemical engineer from the University of Texas at Austin, founded Skyonic Corporation, the R&D predecessor to Carbonfree, and his work was propelled by a Department of Energy grant in 2009. The company is now led by CEO Martin Keighley, a chemical engineering graduate from Cambridge University with extensive experience in the industrial chemicals sector, including as President and CEO of Tata Chemicals North America. His background in commercializing chemical products aligns with Carbonfree's strategy of creating a profitable business from CO2 conversion.

Carbonfree Chemicals has developed two primary patented technologies: SkyMine® and SkyCycle™. The first-generation SkyMine® plant, operational since 2016 in San Antonio, Texas, captures up to 50,000 tons of CO2 annually from a cement plant's flue gas and transforms it into sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and other chemicals like hydrochloric acid. The second-generation technology, SkyCycle™, is designed for greater scalability and converts captured CO2 into high-purity precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) and limestone. PCC is a specialty chemical used in products like plastics, paints, paper, and even pharmaceuticals, offering access to a much larger and more lucrative market. In April 2024, the company announced a significant agreement with U.S. Steel to deploy a commercial-scale SkyCycle™ plant at its Gary Works facility.

Keywords: carbon capture utilization, CCUS, industrial decarbonization, specialty chemicals, precipitated calcium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, SkyCycle, SkyMine, carbon mineralization, flue gas treatment, emissions reduction, green chemistry, circular economy, cleantech, industrial emissions, hard-to-abate industries, carbon-negative chemicals, climate tech, sustainable manufacturing