Green building materials manufacturer Fortera and tech giant Meta announced today a multi-year agreement under which Meta will purchase environmental credits from the production of cement with a carbon footprint 70% below than ordinary Portland cement (OPC).

According to Fortera, the deal will provide long-term revenue visibility to enable it to secure financing for new production facilities, with a strong corporate demand signal for low carbon cement.

Cement production is one of the more difficult industrial sectors to decarbonize, accounting for approximately 8% of global CO2 emissions.

Founded in 2019, California-based Fortera develops technology aimed at reducing emissions from cement production. The company’s proprietary ReCarb technology captures industrial CO2 emissions and converts them into feedstock for the production of its ReAct cement, which has a carbon footprint approximately 70% lower than OPC, according to Fortera. The technology can be integrated into existing cement and lime facilities, allowing manufacturers to retain their kilns and established distribution networks while producing cement at cost parity with OPC.

Ryan Gilliam, CEO of Fortera, said:

“Using waste CO2 as a primary feedstock turns cement decarbonization into a new economic engine for the United States. We’re bringing a new technology to enable communities with economies built around cement and lime production to remain strong as the industry decarbonizes.”

Under the new agreement, Meta will purchase environmental attribute certificates (EACs) associated with approximately 200,000 tons of Fortera low-carbon cement. Companies can purchase EACs associated with lower-carbon materials to address supply chain emissions and help finance the expansion of manufacturing capacity without necessarily purchasing the physical products.

Meta will also maintain the option to utilize the in its own construction projects and to expand the volume and duration of the partnership in future years.

Fortera said that the support the development of the its Fortera Cement Plant in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. Meta added that the agreement connects its demand for low carbon cement with the development of domestic supply in markets where it is building, and demonstrates how long-term purchasing can help accelerate the integration of low carbon materials into the construction supply chain.

Devon Lake, Head of Net Zero Strategy, Meta, said:

“A multi-year commitment is what gets a cement plant financed. Our agreement helps Fortera move the Ste. Genevieve plant from plan to production, which means construction jobs and long-term manufacturing jobs in Missouri, and low-carbon cement available to builders well beyond Meta.”