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Ecological Concrete Scour Protection for Offshore Wind Deployed - a Holcim US & ECOncrete Joint Project
  • First and only structural solution to benefit both foundation resiliency and local marine ecosystem
  • Over 1000 metric tons of bio-enhancing Droplock and rock-material for scour protection - off Long Island, NY at a depth of more than 100ft
  • Two-year ecological monitoring to set new standards in responsible marine construction

New York, NY - November 1, 2022 - Successful deployment of the novel Droplock Ecological Scour Protection is completed 12 miles off the shore of Long Island, NY in coordination with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Approximately 4,000 concrete units were manufactured earlier in August in New York.

The two-year joint R&D project to provide offshore wind projects with ecological scour protection began in May 2021 and is funded by the Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Energy Foundation with the participation of the US Department of Energy. The project partners are ECOncrete Tech Ltd., global provider for bio-enhancing concrete technology, and Holcim US, the country's leading cement producer. Together, they are redefining offshore scour protection through the development of a novel concrete unit that requires up to 30% less material, minimizes native habitat degradation, and supports ecological uplift in offshore wind projects.

"The unit's ecological properties mimic natural marine habitats' features while providing the armoring functionality required for scour protection", said Dr. Ido Sella, CEO and Co-Founder at ECOncrete Tech. "Offshore wind projects that integrate nature inclusive technologies are able to gain ecosystem services not achievable before. The ecological uplift and long term functionality of ecologically sensitive solutions can mitigate some of the associated impacts of offshore infrastructure. The ecological performance will be verified through comprehensive scientific monitoring comparing the bio-enhanced system to the standard rock based scour protection to set new industry standards for responsible construction."

Carl LoBue, Ocean Program Director for The Nature Conservancy in NY said, "This deployment of materials is exciting and timely. The Nature Conservancy believes there is great potential in intentionally designing and constructing materials used in offshore wind energy development in ways that are intended to create habitat for fish and other marine life." ECOncrete bio-enhancing technology is proven to benefit biodiversity and water quality due to the development of healthy marine ecosystems. The units' properties and design facilitate the settlement of calcifying organisms, creating an active carbon sink that absorbs CO2 throughout a structure's lifespan.

"Renewable energy from wind is a critical part of building a more sustainable world and our Net Zero commitments. We also recognize wind generation needs to be built in a way that minimizes the ecological and environmental impacts," said Michael LeMonds, VP, Environment, Land & Public Affairs at Holcim US. "Meeting our renewable energy goals together with ECOncrete Tech shows how an innovative approach using well-established building materials can protect natural habitats and help them flourish."

This project provides the first and only structural solution that benefits both foundation resiliency and the local marine ecosystem. In a recent technical report, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) recommended ECOncrete's nature-based design for cable protection and scour protection. ECOncrete technology is also featured in the Wind Energy Monitoring & Mitigation Technologies Tool developed by the International Energy Agency Wind Task 34 (WREN), the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, as well as in the Dutch government nature inclusive design catalog for offshore wind infrastructure. The ECOncrete and Holcim partnership aims to ensure that offshore wind reaches its maximum potential to generate clean energy without compromising the health of the environment.

Read also: Bird energy grant for ECOncrete with LafargeHolcim US


About Holcim

Holcim builds progress for people and the planet. As a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions, Holcim is enabling greener cities, smarter infrastructure and improving living standards around the world. With sustainability at the core of its strategy Holcim is becoming a net zero company, with its people and communities at the heart of its success. The company is driving the circular economy as a world leader in recycling to build more with less. Holcim is the company behind some of the world's most trusted brands in the building sector including Aggregate Industries, Disensa, Holcim Building Envelope Solutions, Geocycle, Holcim and Lafarge. Holcim is 70,000 people around the world who are passionate about building progress for people and the planet through four business segments: Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete, Aggregates and Solutions & Products.

In the United States, Holcim, includes close to 350 sites in 43 states and employs 7,000 people. Our customers rely on us to help them design and build better communities with innovative solutions that deliver structural integrity and eco-efficiency.

About ECOncrete Tech.

Founded in 2012, ECOncrete is a fast growing international company supplying concrete technology to over 40 marine infrastructure projects all over the world. ECOncrete, a science-based company with a multidisciplinary team of marine biologists, engineers, architects and designers, sets the standard for innovation in concrete performance and biological enhancement, and continues to develop strategic partnerships with world leaders in the construction industry.
www.econcretetech.com

Media Contact

Muriel Pineau
Chief Communications Officer
ECOncrete Tech
muriel@econcretetech.com

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Holcim AG published this content on 02 November 2022 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 07 November 2022 10:41:02 UTC.