Linde and Heidelberg Materials have held a groundbreaking ceremony for what is believed to be the world’s first large-scale carbon capture and utilisation facility in the cement industry, with a capture capacity of 70,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year.
Set to be operational in 2025, the plant is the result of a joint venture formed by the two parties. Capture-to-Use (CAP2U) was formed by Linde and Heidelberg Materials in April 2023 to build and operate the Lengfurt, Germany-based plant.
Read more: Linde and Heidelberg Materials to start up large-scale carbon capture project
Based on an amine scrubbing system specially developed for flue gases, the plant will separate, or capture, CO₂ directly from part of the exhaust gas stream from the cement clinker kiln.
The CO2 can then be utilised as a valuable raw material for industrial applications. Notably, the project partners have also said that the processed gas will be suitable for use in both the food and chemical industries.
Equipment for purification and liquefaction, tanks for intermediate storage of the product, and loading facilities are also part of the project scope.
Christian Knell, General Manager of Heidelberg Materials Germany, said, “With the amine scrubbing technology applied in Lengfurt, we are demonstrating the capture and utilisation of CO2 on an industrial scale for the first time in the cement industry in Germany.”
He also describes producing food-grade CO2 as a “special” aspect of the project. Food-grade CO2 must reach specific purity standards to ensure it is safe for consumption and suitable for use in food processing and packaging.
Read more: The business of CO2
Linde Engineering is leading the design and build of the plant. Andreas X. Müller, Managing Director of Linde Gas Germany, said the collaboration marks a significant milestone on the path to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the cement industry.
“In addition, with this plant, we can expand our offering and provide our customers with a secure and high-quality supply of CO2,” he added.
The joint venture will be supported with around €15m ($16m) of funding from the ‘Decarbonisation of Industry’ funding programme on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).
Cement is the most widely used substance on Earth, after water, and is responsible for around 8% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The cement industry is one of the most polluting manufacturing sectors.
In numbers, if the cement industry were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter of CO2 in the world, after the US and China.
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