The large mass of materials used in structures, such as data centers, presents a notable reservoir to store CO2, and offset operational and hard-to-decarbonize emissions. One pathway to do this is via the use of biochar – a stable carbon material produced from residual biomass – in concrete as a partial replacement for cement. We examine the use of biochar in data center concrete to offset emissions and store carbon as an alternative to the purchase of carbon credits by technology companies. We identify key regionally available feedstocks for biochar to use in concrete, and quantify the degree to which biochar stored in concrete for data centers can offset emissions.
This report presents a framework for evaluating the adoptability of novel low-carbon cement and concrete technologies. The method evaluates materials across environmental impacts, material performance, and feasibility. The approach uses risk and uncertainty scoring to guide decisions on incubation, piloting, deployment, or rejection. A case study of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) demonstrates the framework’s application. For this case study, LC3 shows low uncertainty and low risk for environmental impacts and material performance, with medium risk in feasibility due to infrastructure, supply chain, and permitting factors. The framework is derived based on data center construction and is adaptable to other sectors where concrete contributes to embodied emissions.
