Betolar will start a side stream study commissioned by Eesti Energia to explore the use of ash from oil shale combination as a binding agent in concrete. This would make it possible to replace cement in concrete either partially or completely. Cement is globally one of the most significant sources of CO2 emissions.

Eesti Energia is the leading provider of energy services in the Baltics and the region's largest wind energy producer. The company's production of liquid fuels from oil shale will be gradually replaced by the production of chemicals based on a circular economy. One of the current challenges is to identify a solution for the oil shale ash produced by different production processes.

Every year, a million tonnes of ash is produced as a side stream of energy production, which has been piling up into mountains of ashes in Narva in northeastern Estonia. The assignment supports Betolar's strategy, updated last spring, which focuses on identifying and developing alternative side streams to meet the needs of finding new solutions in the construction and mining industries. Earlier in the autumn, Betolar announced that it was commissioned to carry out a research project to commercialise mining side streams in Thailand.

In cooperation with Metso, Betolar's side stream expertise can be offered to customers using Metso's lithium processes.