Nextleaf, Hempcrete Natural partner to commercialize hemp biomass processing

Nextleaf Solutions Ltd., a federally regulated manufacturer and distributor of cannabis vapes and oils, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a strategic agreement with Hempcrete Natural Building Ltd., an international construction company creating carbon neutral communities through sustainable, renewable, and stronger buildings.

The agreement permits Hempcrete Natural, on a non-exclusive basis, to commercialize certain Nextleaf intellectual property, specifically, a U.S. patent related to hemp biomass processing.

Hemp ash processed using Nextleaf’s patented technology shows promise as a key ingredient and replacement for fly ash in the manufacturing of Portland cement. Research suggests Portland cement production is responsible for two to three per cent of global energy use and approximately five per cent of man-made CO2 emissions.

Government funded R&D led by Nextleaf engineering manager, Krupal Pal, PhD, P.Eng., demonstrated superior performance of hemp ash as both a valorized biofuel and as a cementitious material. Dr. Pal co-authored, with leading academics, a research paper titled Hemp Waste Valorization as Biofuel and Cement Replacement in Cement and Concrete Production.

When leveraged as a biofuel during hemp ash production, power is generated, and metric tonnes of biomass can be diverted from landfills and used as a supplementary cementitious material. Current estimates indicate close to a billion kilograms of biomass being harvested annually by the marijuana and hemp industry with tonnes of waste sent to settlement pits and landfills.

“Nextleaf identified carbon lifecycle management as an opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while launching a new vertical. We are excited to license our technology to a team of subject matter experts with decades of experience with hempcrete building materials,” said Nextleaf CEO and co-founder Paul Pedersen.