Ya Tung Ready Mixed Concrete Corporation's Carbon Asset Amplification Technique

        Despite the active efforts of various sectors to reduce carbon emissions, the global annual carbon emissions remain high. Ya Tung Ready Mixed Concrete Corporation is located in one of the high carbon emitting industries. Although it has exclusive technology to encapsulate carbon in recycled concrete waste and reuse it in the production of ready mixed concrete, creating a more complete and consistent cycle process to efficiently convert CO ₂ ultimately requires a missing piece of the puzzle. This issue's "Cover Story" reports on how Ya Tung Ready Mixed Concrete Corporation has formed a cross industry alliance and connected international carbon removal platforms to transform CO ₂ from "black gold" into high-value carbon assets.

        Refining processes and strengthening carbon sequestration

                Cement is the second largest material used globally, second only to water. It is essential for infrastructure such as airports, bridges, roads, and power plants. However, during the production process, it is difficult to avoid greenhouse gas emissions. Cement accounts for 7-8% of the approximately 59 billion tons of CO ₂ emissions generated globally each year. Although various industries have increased their efforts to achieve net zero transformation, according to scientists' assessments, 10 billion tons of CO ₂ still need to be reduced annually through carbon capture mechanisms. Therefore, Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) technology is particularly important and urgent.

        Among various materials, concrete is rich in calcium hydroxide. After reacting with CO ₂, it can remain stable in the form of calcium carbonate in pre mixed concrete for a long time, achieving carbon sequestration. It is the best field for the application of CCUS technology. Ya Tung Ready-Mixed Concrete Corporation 2024 The "Pre mixed Concrete Waste Drying Cycle and Carbon Fixation Treatment System" developed in the year integrates SAP drying, carbon mineralization reaction and other functions. Through grading treatment and environmental temperature control technology, the "concrete waste" is quickly sealed with CO ₂ and converted into nano-sized sand and gravel particles, which are recycled and reused in the pre mixed concrete process.

        Among them, Concrete Carbonization or Carbon Sequestration in Concrete refers to the process in which concrete absorbs and fixes CO ₂ during production or use, also known as neutralization. Due to its impact on the corrosiveness of steel bars, it is only applicable to waste concrete blocks generated during building demolition, as well as to the bottom materials used in the production of ready mixed concrete, or to trace amounts used in concrete mixing production. The Global Cement Concrete Association (GCCA) has listed "increasing the degree of re carbonation in cement concrete" as one of the 5C net zero strategies for the construction industry, which coincides with the research and development focus invested by Ya Tung Ready Mixed Concrete Corporation.

        Joining hands with Taiwan's technology industry to stabilize supply sources

                To create a more complete and consistent process for the full recycling, reuse, and storage of pre mixed concrete waste materials, Ya Tung Ready Mixed Concrete Corporation is moving upstream, hoping to obtain high-quality CO ₂ sources. Its partners include high-tech industries with the most carbon reduction needs. In response to the demand of CBAM, Taiwan's high-tech industry has gradually invested in researching carbon capture technology. The carbon sequestration technology of Ya Tung Ready Mixed Concrete Corporation can reuse or sequester the captured CO ₂, which not only reduces the high cost of CO ₂ sequestration in geological formations, but also slightly improves the performance of concrete, enabling it to achieve greater benefits.

        In addition, Ya Tung Ready Mixed Concrete Corporation has obtained an invention patent for the "Carbon Sequestration Detection Method for Construction Materials", which can measure the amount of carbon that can be fixed per unit of concrete waste, and simultaneously complete a life cycle assessment (LCA), analysis, and third-party verification to ensure that the carbon removal amount is greater than the total life cycle emissions, in compliance with the "net negative carbon" principle, paving the way for carbon rights applications.

        Entering international value and further enhancing it

        Ya Tung Ready Mixed Concrete Corporation further considers that if carbon sequestration can be converted into carbon rights, it is expected to enhance its economic value. However, there is currently no relevant methodology for concrete carbon mineralization in Taiwan for reference. In addition, there are tests such as requirements for CO ₂ source analysis and certification, system integration, and market acceptance of carbon sequestration building materials. To this end, Ya Tung Ready Mixed Concrete Corporation started from scratch, following the "Carbonate Material Methodology" of the international carbon removal certification and trading platform Puro.earth, gradually establishing a complete and quantifiable carbon removal process, and through the international application process, understanding the technical requirements of the international platform for carbon sequestration. After completing the carbon rights application, registration, and even trading in the future, it will become Taiwan's first demonstration case that meets international certification and can be introduced into practical applications.

                Sustainable building materials have promising new income

        Ya Tung Ready Mixed Concrete Corporation has upgraded its pre mixed waste management from "waste disposal" to "carbon asset creation", demonstrating clear results in four major areas: operations, carbon rights, ESG, and international standards. In terms of operation, replacing natural bone materials with recycled aggregates can save a huge amount of sand and gravel procurement costs and outsourcing processing fees every year. If expanded to all factories in Taiwan, it will create economies of scale, driving annual revenue and net profit.

        In terms of carbon rights and value creation, carbon mineralization treatment can stably sequester a large amount of carbon dioxide. According to the Puro.earth platform's trading price of EUR 70 per ton, the potential value could reach tens of millions of yuan per year. In the future, carbon credits can be registered and traded on the Nasdaq platform through CORC (Carbon Removal Certificate), achieving the financialization of carbon rights. In addition, Ya Tung Ready Mixed Concrete Corporation can also provide technology authorization for industry use, creating new revenue.

        In terms of ESG, Ya Tung Ready Mixed Concrete Corporation's products have achieved near zero carbon emissions in building materials and have the potential to apply for green building materials and low-carbon labels, which can enhance the brand's sustainable image and meet market demand. More importantly, this collaboration with carbon capture technology companies has not only become a demonstration case in Taiwan, but also can further integrate with the Puro.earth platform in the future, opening up a strategic channel for Taiwan's building materials industry to enter the global net zero supply chain.

                Conclusion

        How to innovate and seize business opportunities in the trend of carbon reduction tests the wisdom of the enterprise management team. Ya Tung Ready Mixed Concrete Corporation is well versed in the principles of CCUS and carbon mineralization technology, as well as the characteristics and regulatory limitations of waste materials and concrete. Therefore, it is able to create a golden process for the full recycling, reuse, and storage of pre mixed concrete waste materials, and collaborate with high-tech industries across domains to achieve a consistent process from the upstream exhaust gas emission source to the production of recycled aggregates. At the same time, it introduces third-party verification, LCA (life cycle assessment) modeling, and Puro.earth carbon rights registration operations, demonstrating the company's ability to proactively respond to net zero challenges and connect with international standards. In the future, we will continue to replicate this successful model and collaborate with major carbon capture developers in Taiwan to bring CO ₂ from the air to buildings, creating a visual, verifiable, and tradable carbon removal demonstration chain and implementing carbon sequestration solutions.

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