Microsoft, through its Climate Innovation Fund (CIF), has made a strategic investment in green cement manufacturer Fortera to advance the decarbonization of building materials.
The funding will support construction of Fortera’s full-scale 400,000-ton-per-year commercial facility and grants Microsoft rights to procure both ReAct™ low-carbon cement and environmental attribute certificates (EACs) to reduce Scope 3 emissions.
“We are making long-term investments that will help us achieve our 2030 carbon negative goals,” Brandon Middaugh, general manager of sustainability markets & Climate Innovation Fund at Microsoft said.
“Corporate investment can assist in jumpstarting and scaling nascent markets like low-carbon cement. Our team was attracted to Fortera’s approach due to its potential for deep emission reductions, competitive cost targets, and its expected compatibility with existing production infrastructure.”
Cement Decarbonization At Scale
Fortera’s ReCarb technology produces cement with 70% lower CO2 emissions compared to ordinary Portland cement (OPC), while maintaining cost and performance standards. The process is designed as a bolt-on solution that integrates directly with existing cement facilities, enabling rapid scaling without disrupting current operations.
“Microsoft’s collaboration with Fortera aligns with our goal to advance novel technologies to commercially available products,” said Ryan Gilliam, CEO of Fortera.
“Across a range of sectors, Microsoft has played a catalytic role in overcoming market barriers to decarbonization. Their investment highlights the impact our full commercial-scale plant brings to the low-carbon building materials space.”
Relevant: Fortera Forges Partnership With Sumitomo To Launch Low-Carbon Cement Tech In Asia
As part of the collaboration, Erik Urosa, group manager of impact investments at Microsoft, will join Fortera’s board of directors as an observer.
The investment builds on Fortera’s growing momentum, which includes its flagship ReCarb Plant in Redding, California, strategic partnerships with industry leaders like Graymont, and successful product placements in real-world construction projects.
With Microsoft’s backing, Fortera is positioned to accelerate its mission of paving the way toward zero-CO2 cement production.
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