Etienne Kiss-Borlase is an entrepreneur and former investment banker who founded Clean Resources in 2016 with the vision of identifying, refining and commercialising practical solutions for tackling climate change and reducing the environmental impacts of traditional industries. These industries are key to economic growth and modern society, yet practical solutions for reducing their emissions and environmental impacts have yet to be implemented.

Accelerating climate action

Recognising the need for faster action to address global warming, Etienne partnered with a US academic to develop several technologies focussed on reducing CO₂ emissions, and the environmental footprint of industries that are considered “hard to abate”, namely, construction and mining.

In 2016, Etienne founded Clean Resources Pte. Ltd. (www.clnresources.com), an advanced materials technology start-up and hired an experienced management and technical team to assist him to deliver on his vision.

Clean Resources today has two divisions: Clean Concrete and Vinca Technologies:

Clean Concrete (CC)

High Performance, Ultra-low CO₂ Building Materials

Cement, the binder most used in concrete production, is responsible for around 8% of the world’s CO₂ emissions with 4bn tonnes produced annually. Emissions from cement production doubled between 2002 and 2021 and options for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from existing production processes have been exhausted. From there innovative approaches are vital if the industry is to reach net zero.

Clean Concrete is building a vertically integrated business producing ultra-low CO₂ alternatives to cement for the construction industry. Our products can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 88% when compared to some traditional cements.

CC’s Vision

To support the concrete industry’s transition to a low CO₂ future by using CC’s proven technology to create new materials that reduce the industry’s dependence on cement.

CC’s Mission

CC creates proprietary technologies that produce ultra-low CO₂, high performance alternatives to cement from waste produced at coal fired power stations, thereby generating attractive returns for investors and sustained benefits to society.

CC’s Technologies

ReCem

Proprietary and patented ultra-low CO₂ geopolymer alternatives to cement that will be produced and distributed for precast concrete applications.

CC’s alternative cement products:

• Generate 88% less carbon dioxide than equivalent traditional cement used in precast concrete products (Climate Earth EPD, 2023);
• Are in advanced testing and certification with a precast concrete manufacturer in the US;
• Are expected to be cost competitive, and more durable than concrete produced with traditional cement.

ReCinis

A unique, proprietary technology to recycle historic landfilled fly ash from coal power stations into valuable materials. ReCinis will be produced and distributed for use as a partial cement replacement in ready-mix concrete production and used to produce ReCem, our ultra-low CO₂ cement alternative.

CC’s proprietary technology could recycle billions of tonnes of landfilled and polluting fly ash from coal power stations:

• Replacing declining supplies of fresh fly ash, a critical raw material for ready-mix concrete production and providing a sustainable supply of fly ash for ReCem production
• Creating jobs and enabling unproductive land to be repurposed and redeveloped.
• Converting a power company’s liabilities into revenue generating assets

To find out more, download CC’s presentation on the website (www.clnresources.com/clean-concrete) or contact info@clean-concrete.com.

Vinca Technologies (Vinca)

Vinca (https://www.clnresources.com/vinca) is developing a metal processing technology which is effectively the first clean, cost effective and efficient process to extract and recover in one cycle of approx. 7 hours over 98% of the precious metals such as gold, silver and PGM’s but also strategic metals such as cobalt, from polymetallic orebodies.

Among the numerous environmental benefits of Vinca it is worth mentioning that it leaves inert, non-contaminating tailings, it doesn’t use hazardous or toxic chemicals, requires minimal quantities of water (which is recycled) and uses little energy (closed system), while being economically competitive.

The Vinca process is considered as “the third force of metallurgy”, standing between the existing leaching processes using acids and toxic chemicals and the ultra-high temperature smelters.

Vinca is a proprietary, patented, ground-breaking and possibly game changing advanced technology which hopes to solve some of the massive and long-lasting pollution issues caused by the metals industry.

At the time of the electric transformation, with increased needs for metals coupled with growing pollution and environmental concerns, the Vinca process is a very welcome novel technology that enables increased metal production while considerably reducing mining’s sever environmental impacts.

In 2022, Vinca Technologies received two major awards in Sydney, Australia for being the most promising mining technology start-up.

Clean Resource’s Purpose

Accelerating the shift to zero emissions and reducing environmental pollution are the purposes that drive Etienne’s investment approach and motivated his shift from the service sector to focus on developing and engineering scientific breakthroughs for making industries more sustainable.

The transformation of heavy industries, such as building materials and mineral processing, requires the implementation of practical, cost-effective solutions that deliver sustained environmental benefits. The transformation cannot simply rely upon displacing emissions and pollution or the deployment of carbon-offsets.

Achieving real change is a long and difficult journey that requires co-operation with a wide range of groups and individuals to solve what are perceived to be insurmountable challenges. It also requires the confidence to learn from failure: success cannot be achieved without setbacks and negative results.

Clean Resources seeks to build partnerships across the supply chain and work with academia and industry to marshal the resources needed to develop solutions for hard-to-abate emissions and environmentally damaging practices.

Only by working together we can discover and develop the solutions to the world’s most pressing challenge.

Etienne’s career history

Etienne started his career at CS First Boston Ltd (CSFB) in London in 1993 as an Investment Banker working with clients across many different sectors including Oil & Gas, Pharma, Reinsurance, Telecoms, and Banks. During his time at CSFB, Etienne gained experience on a wide range of financing transactions including corporate bonds, convertibles, asset backed securities, structured products, IPOs as well as privatizations. He also qualified as a member of the SFA.

In 1995, Etienne returned to Geneva to gain experience in the corporate services industry (accounting, audit, internal audit, tax, and corporate structuring) to complement his investment banking experience.

Appointed partner in 2001, he created and managed his own practices in Geneva until 2015 when he moved permanently to Singapore to focus exclusively on his management advisory and consulting activities in Southeast Asia and the development of Clean Resources.

Born in 1966, in Geneva, Etienne graduated from the University of St Gallen, Switzerland and is a Swiss Certified Public Accountant. He is a passionate golfer and enjoys horse riding and skiing. Etienne is also an active art-collector and philanthropist. Etienne currently lives in Singapore.