DECD0000103

The first commercial electrochemical cement manufacturing project, led by Sublime Systems, plans to build a new, ultra-low carbon cement manufacturing facility in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

Sublime Systems’ new method to make cement replaces carbon-intensive limestone with abundant calcium silicate-based feedstocks, resulting in industry-standard cement that is produced electrochemically instead of using high heat.

By demonstrating this transformational process that was previously supported by ARPA-E, Sublime Systems would strengthen American supply chains for low-carbon products, increase transparency for product environmental impact and performance, and catalyze industry-wide change.

The project expects to create 70-90 permanent manufacturing jobs in a community that once produced nearly all of the United States’ writing paper but has seen a decline in industry over the 20th century.

Sublime Systems and the United Steelworkers have signed a strategic partnership agreement supporting Sublime Systems’ employees’ right to organize at the Holyoke factory.

The company has also signed memoranda of understanding to negotiate project labor agreements with the region’s building trade unions.

Based on robust engagement and discussion with the Holyoke community, Sublime Systems additionally plans to support the Holyoke K-12 education system through curriculum enhancement and teacher support in partnership with the Smithsonian Science Education Center and facilitate a long-term training pipeline for Holyoke and the broader Pioneer Valley.

Sublime Systems

1. CONSTRUCT AND COMMENCE COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS OF AN INDUSTRIAL SCALE SUBLIME CEMENT™ PLANT. DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING AN ELECTROCHEMICALLY ASSISTED SUBLIME PROCESS TO PRODUCE 20,000-30,000 TONNES PER YEAR OF CEMENT WITH SIMILAR STRENGTH TO OPC AND UP TO 6,000 TONNES PER YEAR OF SUBLIME SCM. 2. DEMONSTRATE, QUANTIFY, AND VERIFY CRADLE-TO-GATE REDUCTIONS IN CARBON INTENSITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRODUCTION OF SUBLIME CEMENT™ COMPARED TO THE PRODUCTION OF OPC OF: 1) APPROXIMATELY 60% AT INITIAL COMMISSIONING OF THE TECHNOLOGY READINESS LEVEL (TRL) 7 PLANT, AND 2) APPROXIMATELY 75% WITHIN FIRST THREE YEARS OF OPERATION. 3. ENABLE PRODUCTION OF APPROXIMATELY 100,000 YARDS OF CONCRETE PER YEAR, SERVICING DEMONSTRATION SCALE POURS (100-200 YARDS) AND FULL-SCALE BUILDING PROJECTS (2,000-4,000 YARDS). 4. DEMONSTRATE PRODUCTION OF OPTIMIZED SUBLIME CEMENT™ FORMULATION EXCEEDING AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS (ASTM) C1157 TYPES GENERAL USE (GU) AND MODERATE SULFATE RESISTANCE (MS) STANDARDS AND OBTAIN NECESSARY TECHNICAL, OPERATIONAL, AND MARKET DATA FROM THIS TRL-7 PLANT TO SCALE UP THE TECHNOLOGY TO A TRL-9 PLANT. 5. DEMONSTRATE COMMERCIAL SCALE USE OF ELECTROLYSIS PROCESSES TO REGENERATE REACTANTS FOR PRODUCTION OF SCM AND CEMENT. 6. CREATE QUALITY CLIMATE TECH JOBS PAYING PREVAILING WAGES AND BENEFITS, OFFERING EDUCATION AND TRAINING, AND PROVIDING BEST-IN-CLASS HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAMS. ENSURE A SKILLED AND TRAINED WORKFORCE BY DEVELOPING WORKFORCE TRAINING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STEELWORKERS UNION AND OTHER WORKFORCE TRAINING ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AREA. INCORPORATE DIRECT AND ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO BRING STRONG MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY JOB GROWTH TO THE HOLYOKE REGION WITH A FOCUS ON RECRUITING FROM DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES AND REVERSING THE LOSS OF ITS MOST SKILLED JOBS TO OTHER LOCALES. 7. PARTNER WITH AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO BUILD A MANUFACTURING WORKFORCE PIPELINE TO THE FACILITY. ENABLE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROCESS DESIGN PACKAGE FOR TECHNOLOGY LICENSING INFORMED BY OPERATIONAL, WORKFORCE, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LEARNINGS.

81.255 - Clean Energy Demonstrations

Department of Energy (DOE)

Holyoke, Massachusetts 01040-6209 United States

Single Zip Code

Industrial Decarbonization and Emissions Reduction Demonstration-to-Deployment Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0002936)

Termination This cooperative agreement was reported on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) partial or complete termation list as of its last report October 2025. See All
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 579% from $12,792,364 to $86,907,197.