Low carbon ‘bio bitumen’

A research partnership of technology and industry experts led by carbon removal company CO2CO, materials giant Tarmac, sustainable materials innovation company Nanolyse Technologies Ltd, Imperial College, London and the University of Sheffield is working on producing low carbon ‘bio bitumen’ made from algae. The team is trying to use algae as a biomass source material to produce a black, viscous, water-repellent material that resembles petroleum-derived bitumen but offers a significant carbon reduction. The early-stage research has shown that bio-bitumen could be a viable alternative to the energy-intensive process of traditional bitumen production.