The Stanford Energy Seminar: "Commercializing low-carbon cement" Joe Hicken

Talk title: Commercializing low-carbon cement

Abstract: Canary Media reports that nearly all US energy grid capacity installed in 2024 will be carbon-free. What are the next levers in decarbonizing our global economy? Presented from the viewpoint of Sublime Systems, a venture-backed MIT spin-out, we examine a groundbreaking manufacturing technology poised to revolutionize the industry. This technology, which sidesteps the need for fossil fuel kilns and employs non-carbonate feedstock, offers a path to eliminating virtually all carbon dioxide emissions in cement and concrete production. We will discuss insights from customers, analyze the critical role of the public sector, and highlight the distinctive product features that facilitate smoother adoption. This session aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities and hurdles in the journey towards cement and concrete decarbonization, showcasing Sublime Systems's innovative approach to tackling one of the industry's most pressing environmental challenges.

Speaker Bio: Joe Hicken is Vice President of Business Development and Policy at Sublime Systems, a company on a mission to have a swift, massive, and enduring impact on global CO2 emissions with a breakthrough process that can manufacture cement without fossil fuels or limestone. At Sublime, Joe leads the company’s efforts to engage with national leaders dramatically reducing their greenhouse gas emissions profile with low-embodied carbon construction materials. Prior to his work in climate technology for the last 5 years, Joe spent a decade in Washington DC, as an Obama Administration political appointee at the GSA and the Pentagon, and as a staff member in the US House of Representatives.

More details about the Stanford Energy Seminar:

The Stanford Energy Seminar has been a mainstay of energy engagement at Stanford for nearly 20 years and is one of the flagship programs of the Precourt Institute for Energy. We aim to bring a wide variety of perspectives to the Stanford community – academics, entrepreneurs, utilities, big businesses, and more. We're proud to have hosted some of the biggest names in the energy world as well as those just starting out. 

Seminars take place most Mondays during the academic year and typically have an audience of 100+ attendees. Anyone with an interest in energy is welcome to join one seminar or all of them! You can enjoy seminars in the following ways:

• Attend live. The auditorium may change quarter by quarter, so check each seminar event to confirm location. Explore the current quarter's schedule.
• Watch live in a browser livestream. Check each seminar event for its unique livestream URL.
• Watch recordings of past seminars 
  • Available on the Past Energy Seminars page and the Energy Seminars playlist of the Stanford Energy YouTube channel
• (For students) Take the seminar as a 1-unit class (CEE 301/ENERGY 301/MS&E 494)

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