On the outskirts of the Portland metro area, the road to a cleaner future is being paved... literally.
Modern Hydrogen is a leading player in the quest to “sequester avoided CO2 emissions effectively and sustainably in the built environment.” Recently, it demonstrated this application at a customer site for the first time, infusing captured carbon with “hot mix asphalt” and a pigment sealer in Sherwood, Oregon.
But where did this material come from — and why does it matter? When creating low-emission hydrogen fuel for commercial and industrial clients, the Pacific Northwest firm is able to use a process called pyrolysis to remove and capture carbon from natural gas at the point-of-use.
A quarter pound of carbon (in the bag) was fixed into the asphalt sealant in Sherwood.
Photo via Modern Hydrogen
By repurposing this pollutant, the construction and maintenance of roads costs less and lowers its carbon footprint while making the end product (asphalt, concrete, rubber, etc.) more durable.
Friendly to cities’ budgets and the environment, this pilot program plans to expand operations next month.