The U.S. Center at COP27 featured an exhibit space highlighting innovative climate solutions, virtual reality (VR) simulations, data visualizations, and captivating youth voices. In the exhibit space, visitors to the U.S. Center had the opportunity to explore how companies are leading on decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors. The VR simulations and data visualizations transported attendees to places around the world and connect the viewer to the science, impacts, and solutions to the climate crisis. In the interactive art space, there were opportunities to gain insights into youth perspectives on climate action via different mediums. Attendees could view the exhibits any time while the U.S. Center was open, or during our daily open exhibit times: 11:30am-12:30pm, 4:00-4:30pm, and 5:00-5:30pm.
Learn more about the events at the U.S Center.
First Movers Coalition
The First Movers Coalition is a global initiative harnessing the purchasing power of companies to decarbonize “hard-to-abate” industrial sectors that currently account for 30% of global emissions: Aluminum, Aviation, Chemicals, Concrete, Shipping, Steel, and Trucking, along with innovative Carbon Dioxide Removal technologies. For these sectors to decarbonize successfully, we require the commercial scale up of critical new low-carbon technologies and solutions over this decade, a few of which will be exhibited at the U.S. Center.
Boston Metal: Boston Metal has developed a new technology to decarbonize steel production. The company’s patented molten oxide electrolysis (MOE) platform replaces fossil fuels with renewable electricity to convert all iron ore grades into high-purity liquid metal through a cost-efficient, one-step process. With the potential to eliminate a significant source of global carbon emissions, Boston Metal’s scalable technology is intended to green the most important engineering material in the world. At the U.S. Center, Boston Metal will showcase pieces of metal produced in an MOE cell at company headquarters in Massachusetts.
Brimstone: Brimstone is a carbon-negative cement company. Its breakthrough process produces the exact same materials – competitively priced ordinary portland cement and supplementary cementitious material (SCM) – as traditional manufacturers, while leaving less CO2 in the air than before. As a result, Brimstone transforms cement – the essential material responsible for about 8% of carbon emissions – from a leading driver of climate change into a climate solution. At the U.S. Center, Brimstone is showcasing a standard 2-inch³ (~51 mm³) carbon-negative mortar cube that is chemically and physically identical to traditionally made cement.
Charm Industrial: Charm Industrial turns excess, inedible corn stalks and forest waste into bio-oil and puts that oil back underground, financially supporting rural, farming, and former oil & gas communities with investment and new climate change mitigation jobs. After reaching a large scale of bio-oil production, Charm can also use its bio-oil to produce carbon negative steel. Charm’s carbon negative steel is intended to turn steel’s significant share of global emissions to negative. At the U.S. Center, Charm Industrial will demonstrate a model of Charm’s future pyrolyzer for use in agricultural settings, which will collect corn stalks from fields and turn them into bio-oil ready for permanent sequestration or steel making.
Nitricity: Nitricity is a startup that had developed a process of electrifying the production of nitrogen fertilizer. Founded in 2018, the company is currently headquartered in San Francisco, California. Nitricity uses a plasma process that mimics lightning to make climate-smart nitrogen fertilizers from just air, water, and renewable electricity. This technology is intended to eliminate fossil fuels from the process, which significantly reduces the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of nitrogen fertilizer. Nitricity’s technology is positioned to help food and industrial value chains become more sustainable, efficient, and resilient. At the U.S. Center, Nitricity is showcasing a representative lightning fertilizer reactor which converts atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogen fertilizer.
Sublime Systems: Sublime Systems utilizes technology intended to make low-carbon cement – without relying on post-combustion carbon capture. Sublime’s technology is intended to replace the industry’s legacy fossil-fueled kilns with an electrolyzer that makes cement at ambient temperature, resulting in an economical cement with both low embodied CO2 and low embodied energy. Sublime was started in 2020, as a spin-out of MIT. At the U.S. Center, Sublime Systems is showcasing art made from Sublime Cement™, which will be available by the ton by the end of 2022.
Twelve: Twelve is a carbon transformation company with a mission to make essential products from air, not oil. This technology eliminates emissions by transforming CO2 into critical chemicals, materials, and fuels that today are made from fossil fuels. Transforming carbon in this way fundamentally changes how we can address climate change, reduce emissions, and reverse the carbon imbalance. Twelve is on a mission to create a climate positive world and a fossil fuel-free future through the power of chemistry. At the U.S. Center, Twelve will feature the core of their technology: the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), containing their novel catalyst, which enables the transformation of CO2 to critical products.
Via Separations: Via Separations decarbonizes industry by electrifying and intensifying the separation steps of raw material production, including chemicals. In the United States, separations account for more emissions than steel, cement, mining, and agriculture combined. Via is positioned to start reducing emissions by deploying full-scale systems in 2023, beginning the cardboard and paper sector. At the U.S. Center, Via will showcase the broad industrial base of separations and the impact as it relates to industrial emissions.
Virtual Reality (VR) Experience
At the U.S. Center for COP27, Meta will exhibit immersive experiences that aim to connect people and climate and inspire people to respect, protect, and restore our planet’s biodiversity through augmented reality (AR) effects and Quest2 virtual reality (VR) headsets. Being immersed in AR and VR will offer individuals the ability to create, explore, and connect with people and places that aren’t in the same physical space. These experiences through AR and VR aim to open new pathways to learning, increase access to education, and fundamentally transform the way we learn.
Voices and Visions: The art and science of climate action
Youth Environmental Alliance in Higher Education (YEAH) and PEACE BOAT US joined forces to collaborate on the “Voices and Visions: The art and science of climate action” exhibit, which engages with audiences on climate action through different forms of media and expresses the art and science of such actions. The exhibit features three main categories: ocean, youth in the field, and land. All artwork (photography, mixed media, fiber arts, fine art, small icons) will be linked with sustainable development goals and followed by innovative climate actions by youth and call to action for climate solutions. The overall theme that merges these categories is youth engagement in climate action.
About Peace Boat US: Peace Boat US works to build a culture of peace and sustainability around the world by connecting people across borders and creating opportunities for learning, activism and cooperation. Peace Boat’s programs combine learning, activism, advocacy, and travel, enabling participants to learn first-hand about global issues such as environmental degradation, gender violence, and other issues. Participants experience grassroots peace-building efforts to find non-violent, creative, and constructive solutions, from local communities to global advocacy networks. Peace Boat US holds Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and is a committed campaigner for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as an official partner of the UN SDG Action Campaign.
About YEAH: The Youth Environmental Alliance in Higher Education (YEAH) Network is a transdisciplinary, multi-institutional network that equips students with real-world experience of collaborative, evidence-based approaches to global environmental sustainability. The YEAH Network connects institutions of higher education from all over the globe to provide integrated knowledge to students that empowers them to address complex global environmental problems, ranging from pollinator decline and biodiversity loss to climate shifts and ecosystem transformations. Students are from geographically and culturally diverse backgrounds and they share a common desire for climate action through education, science, and their own contributions to local climate solutions. The YEAH Network is funded by grants from the National Science Foundation as a research coordination network focused on STEM education and promoting diversity in the Earth sciences.
Data Visualizations
Across the U.S. government, agencies collect, analyze, and visualize some of the most important datasets when it comes to climate change. The U.S. Center will feature a touchscreen for people to explore and interact with these innovative data visualizations.
Climate Conversations
The U.S. Center is hosting a forum to engage with prominent U.S. climate scientists, negotiators, and other experts. Each day the U.S. Center is open, one of these experts will be available for open discussions in our networking space. All are welcome and no appointments are necessary. Bring your questions and ideas to this great opportunity to speak with some of the leading U.S. experts on climate change.