Carmen Batista Head of Laboratory at Y-MatTec is evaluating Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) in a microscope

Y-MatTec® has Developed Groundbreaking Method to Capture Carbon and Harmful Waste Material in UHPC

Green feature to wind turbines

Y-MatTec® has Developed Groundbreaking Method to Capture Carbon and Harmful Waste Material in UHPC

Soon on- and offshore wind turbines will grow to become an even more convincing part of green energy transition in our efforts to reach ambitious targets on CO2 reduction. Future wind turbines will even have the capacity to solve challenges with environmentally harmful industrial waste.

The groundbreaking method to capture CO2 in the wind turbine concrete foundations is developed by Y-
MatTec® headquartered in Denmark. In essence by introducing +10% pyrolysis material to the concrete
mortar without compromising the unique UHPC density and strength.

Carbon capture in ordinary concrete is a technology well-known. CO2 capture in UHPC, however, is breaking
news never achieved before. Y-MatTec® is expected to be granted a patent for the method in Denmark late
2024. Next step in the process will include patents in the EU, North- and South America, Asia, as well as
European countries outside the European Union.

“In the laboratory we have proven ourselves capable of what no one else succeeded with. Our patent is now
being processed,” says Y-MatTec® CEO Elo Yde. Due to the patent process, he cannot reveal the method in
detail. In general terms, however, the method is a chemical process transforming pyrolysis material into a
well-designed UHPC-component.

Manufacturing ultra-high-performance concrete is a restricted business. In the European market only a
handful of companies are certified to manufacture and cast the tremendously strong concrete in
foundations that absorb incessant stress and vibrations from wind turbines for decades.

“The strength in concrete is measured in megapascal (MPa). Ordinary concrete is usually 15-40 megapascal.
Modern bridges are 65-75 MPa. UHPC is 120 MPa and above. At Y-MatTec® we produce UHPC with up to
200 megapascal (29,000 PSI) strength. That is rather extreme and the reason for Y-MatTec® to be approved
by Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, and other world-leading wind turbine manufacturers,” Elo Yde explains.

It may seem a paradox to mix 10% pyrolysis material in concrete: The unique strength in UHPC is based on
an extremely dense paste with ultra-low permeability. Y-MatTec succeeded to research and develop a
chemical process that eliminate the permeability properties in pyrolysis material without compromising the UHPC-strength.

“Material from pyrolysis processing is interesting for several reasons: The pyrolysis process is likely to
become one in several future sustainable energy solutions. Pyrolysis residual materials appear as a result
from organic and industrial waste combustion at 600 degrees °C/ 1,100 degrees °F with no oxygen present.
The alternative in farming as an example would be to plow straw and plant residues into the soil. The plants
will subsequently decay submitting carbon dioxide to the atmosphere and become part of the problem
related to climate change. In the pyrolysis process, however, the CO2 obtained by the plant in its life cycle
through photosynthesis will be captured. Forever”.

Elo Yde CEO at Y-MatTec is standing next to pallets with big bags with Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) in the Y-MatTec warehouse

“Estimates suggest that the pyrolysis process may cut half of the carbon dioxide footprint in intensive
agriculture. Clean pyrolysis material is suitable for improving sandy field soil. Yet, some pyrolysis material is
contaminated with environmentally harmful residues such as heavy metal from industrial production or
sewage treatment plants. It’s rather obvious to mix contaminated pyrolysis material with our ultra-highperformance concrete as these harmful residues will be isolated from the environment and captured in the concrete permanently. Harmful residues will stay captured in the extremely dense UHPC even after decades of service as wind turbine concrete foundations are demolished and decomposed,” Y-MatTec® CEO Elo Yde explains.

“10% pyrolysis material will replace a corresponding amount of cement. The carbon footprint in cement
production is intense: Powdered limestone and clayey material are combusted at +1,400 °C / 2,250
degrees °F temperatures. Cement containing pyrolysis material will eventually turn into a greener ultra-highperformance concrete”.

The perspectives are significant – for society in general as well as for the wind turbine industry:

“Promising news indeed – I dare to say. Soon the wind turbine industry can add a ground-breaking feature to
its sustainable energy production – literally based on a greener and more climate-friendly foundation.

In addition, saving society from expensive handling of environmentally harmful residues. Furthermore, the
industry will support the pyrolysis industry at a crucial start-up phase empowering pyrolysis to become a
significant part of sustainable future energy supply. That is concrete with a unique strength as well as
corporate social responsibility,” says Elo Yde in a closing remark.

As a testament to our core values, flexibility, and willingness to meet all customer requirements we developed a grout material with steel fibers that would fulfil the request for extreme strength for a top deck structure.

In the process we manufactured a mock-up that was tested at our production facility in Denmark with Canadian engineers, contractors, and final customer present on-site as inspection team.

As documented in the mock-up report our efforts to develop grouting material even into the most extreme of strength were successful. The Canadian inspection team were fully satisfied with the G3000 grouting material and its rather unique properties. Construction will start in St. John at the Newfoundland coast in October 2024.

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