Microsoft and Neustark, a provider of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) solutions, today announced a multi-year supply agreement, with Neustark providing Microsoft with credits for removing biogenic carbon from biogas plants for storage in recycled building materials .
Founded in 2019, Switzerland-based Neustark's technology uses recycled materials, such as concrete from demolished buildings, as permanent storage for CO₂ removed from the atmosphere. The solution utilizes a mineralization process, whereby biogenic CO2 captured from partner biogas plants is liquefied and transported to partner construction waste recycling sites for use as a complement to the existing recycling process. Neustark technology triggers an accelerated mineralization process, thus permanently binding CO2 to the pores and surface of the granules. The carbonated granules can then be used by recyclers to build roads or to produce recycled concrete.
Neustark currently operates across 14 sites with an aggregate capacity of over 5,000 tonnes of CO2 per year, with the goal of scaling to capture one million tonnes of CO2 by 2030.
Under the new agreement, Neustark will deliver 27,600 tons of carbon removal credits to Microsoft over 6 years. The company began collaborating with Microsoft in 2022 and receives support under the “Microsoft for Startups” program.
Lisa Braune, head of CDR at Neustark, said:
“We transform the world’s largest waste stream – demolition concrete – and other mineral waste into a carbon sink. Our solution makes an impact now: we've removed more than 1,000 tons of CO2 to date and are rapidly expanding our footprint. Working with carbon removal pioneers like Microsoft significantly helps scale our impact and the CDR industry as a whole.”
The deal marks the latest in a growing series of carbon removal investments for Microsoft, forming part of the company's initiative to become carbon negative by 2030 and remove all of its historic emissions by 2050. Recent removal agreements Microsoft's carbon footprint includes nature on a large scale. carbon removal agreements based on Chestnut Carbon and Brazilian startup Mombak, focusing on reforestation, a January agreement with soil carbon removal solutions startup Grassroots Carbon, other suppliers through technologies covering direct carbon capture air (DAC), ocean-based carbon removal and biochar-based solutions.
Brian Marrs, Senior Director of Energy and Carbon Removal at Microsoft, said:
“Neustark implements a model to deliver high-quality, highly durable carbon removal that is both scalable and measurable to help organizations achieve a sustainable future. Through this six-year purchase agreement, we are excited to continue working with neustark to advance Microsoft's carbon removal purchase toward our goal of becoming carbon negative by 2030.”
