Displaying items by tag: CCS
Early test phase of carbon capture unit at Holcim Deutschland’s Höver cement plant working well
11 May 2022Germany: Holcim Deutschland says that the preliminary test phase of a new CO2 separation unit at its Höver cement plant in Lower Saxony has delivered positive results. Plant manager Stephan Hinrichs said that the company was “delighted” with the results so far. In late 2021 Cool Planet Technologies and Hereon signed a memorandum of understanding with Holcim Deutschland to deliver a carbon capture system for a carbon capture and storage (CCS) trial at the plant based on Hereon’s PolyActive membrane technology.
The next stage of the project will start in August 2022 and it will last until late 2024. This will include a one-year active test phase, in which the system is to be examined in long-term operation, planned to start in September 2023. If the results are good enough then the carbon capture unit will be expanded step-by-step so that after the final expansion stage it can separate around 90% of the CO2 emissions and deliver high-purity CO2 in liquid form for sequestration or further use. The ultimate aim of the project is to demonstrate performance, economy and operational behaviour on a larger scale in order to check whether the technology can be used at both Höver and other cement plants. Continued funding for the scheme is dependent on an application to the Competence Centre on Climate Change Mitigation in Energy-Intensive Industries (KEI) as part of the Decarbonisation in Industry program.
GCCA launches Innovandi Open Challenge
10 May 2022World: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has named its first six startups to receive backing under the inaugural Innovandi Open Challenge. The startups have partnered with GCCA members to help increase cement’s sustainability towards achieving net zero CO2 concrete production by 2050. This will lead to the formation of six consortia to further test, develop and deploy their new technologies.
Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) startups CarbonOrO, MOF Technologies and Saipem, all based in Europe, are among the participants. GCCA members are currently involved in dozens of pilot projects and aim to have 10 industrial-scale carbon capture plants installed by 2030. Other startups Carbon Upcycling Technologies and Fortera, from Canada and the US respectively, use captured CO2 to produce low-carbon cement and cementitious materials, while UK-based Coomtech has developed a low-cost drying technology using turbulent air.
GCCA CEO Thomas Guillot said “It’s a proud moment to see the industry coming together to support such innovative start-ups on their journey. Our member companies were greatly impressed by their ambition to be a key part of the climate solution. The programme is another big step forward towards unlocking innovation to help us achieve our net zero goal.” He continued “As the need for resilient and sustainable communities to support a growing global population becomes more pressing , cement and concrete will be essential to providing the infrastructure and buildings that society needs. Achieving net zero concrete relies on a number of different groups playing their part, and as an industry we’re looking outwards as well as inwards, to see how start-ups like these can support our goals.”
Holcim US joins Carbon Capture Coalition
25 April 2022US: Holcim US has become the first cement producer member of the Great Plains Institute’s Carbon Capture Coalition. The coalition’s 78 participating members and 23 observer organisations collaborate to build federal policy support for economy-wide, commercial-scale deployment of carbon capture and related technologies. Holcim US is currently assessing the viability of commercial-scale carbon capture, with two studies underway, at its Portland cement plant in Colorado and its Ste. Genevieve cement plant in Missouri.
Region head North America Toufic Tabbara said “Being at the forefront of developing low carbon solutions requires continuous innovative thinking and partnerships. Our efforts are most effective when we can align and join forces with other companies and organisations across industries who share this same commitment. We are proud to be part of an organisation that is similarly focused toward more efficient, innovative and sustainable practices.”
Eqiom secures European Commission Innovation Fund funding for Lumbres cement plant upgrade
04 April 2022France: The European Commission (EC) has awarded funding under its Innovation Fund 2021 for CRH subsidiary Eqiom’s upgrade to its Lumbres, Hauts-de-France, cement plant. The work includes the replacement of a kiln and the installation of a carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) system at the plant, in collaboration with Air Liquide. The producer says that the project is one of seven selected under the EC’s K6 programme of innovation funding in line with the EU Green Deal.
CalTransport approves Portland limestone cement use
29 March 2022US: The California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) has approved the use of Portland limestone cement (PLC) in its projects. The California Nevada Cement Association (CNCA) says that the move has the potential to eliminate 25,500t/yr of CO2 emissions.
The CNCA plans to achieve cement and concrete carbon neutrality by 2045 through three priority actions. These are investment in promising and critical long-term technologies (crucially carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) technologies), increased alternative fuel (AF) substitution and the acceptance of PLC for CalTrans projects. Thus, the latest CalTrans decision marks the establishment of one pillar of the CNCA’s ambitious plan for net zero.
Spain: HeidelbergCement is starting the Neuclicem carbon capture use and storage (CCUS) project at its integrated Arrigorriaga plant near Bilbao. Local electricity company Volbas and the Tecnalia Research & Innovation centre are participating in the initiative. The project intends to look at a process based on the mineralisation of alkaline waste, such as residual construction waste or steel slag, by accelerated carbonation using CO2 from the flue gas at the plant. The resulting materials will then be used as additives in cement production or to reduce the use of clinker. The scheme will study its viability of the process on an industrial scale.
The Neuclicem project has an estimated duration of 14 months. Its results are intended to prepare the way for scaling up to a subsequent industrial prototype. The project is partially financed by Ihobe, an environmental management division of the regional Basque government.
Japan: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering has won the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s highest prize for contributions to industrial decarbonisation, the Minister’s Award, for its development and commercialisation of its CO2 capture system. The system is based on KS-21 solvent technology, developed in partnership with Kansai Electric Power, and the company’s Advanced KM CDR Process capture model. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering has successfully supported cement industry customers in implementing the system.
Nanjing Kisen International Engineering to implement Delta CleanTech’s carbon capture and storage technology at two CNBM cement plants
23 February 2022China: Nanjing Kisen International Engineering has secured a collaboration agreement with Canada-based Delta CleanTech for the implementation of the latter’s carbon capture and storage (CCS) systems at two China National Building Material (CNBM) cement plants. SCMP News has reported that there is a one-time licencing fee - which is not paid by Nanjing Kisen International Engineering but is traditionally paid by the CO2 capture plant customer - of 4.5 - 5% of capital costs. Installations cost upward of US$40m, depending on capacity.
There are currently 40 operational or upcoming CCS installations nationally with a total capture capacity of 3Mt/yr, chiefly in the oil, coal chemicals and energy sectors.The Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning has forecast that China’s cement industry CCS demand will reach 200Mt/yr by 2060. Delta CleanTech president Jeff Allison said that current challenges for Chinese cement producers seeking to reduce their CO2 emissions include difficulties disposing of captured CO2 and a lack of rewards and penalties around emissions control beyond the basic national efficiency requirements.
Nanjing Kisen International Engineering previously launched its first 155kg/day pilot CCS study in partnership with the Canada-based International CCS Knowledge Centre in July 2021.
Canada: Lehigh Cement and Enbridge have announced a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on carbon storage for the integrated Edmonton cement plant in Alberta. Captured emissions will be transported via pipeline and sequestered by Enbridge. Lehigh Cement says it is developing North America’s first full-scale carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) unit for the cement industry at its Edmonton plant, with the goal of capturing approximately 0.78Mt/yr of CO2.
Pipeline company Enbridge intends to apply to develop an open access carbon hub in the Wabamun area, west of Edmonton in conjunction with Lehigh Cement and Capital Power, as part of the Government of Alberta's Request for Full Project Proposals process. Once complete the Open Access Wabamun Carbon Hub would be among the largest integrated CCUS projects in the world. Subject to the award of carbon sequestration rights and regulatory approvals, the project could be in service as early as 2025.
MAN Energy Solutions to supply compressor system for Norcem carbon capture and storage unit
29 December 2021Norway: Germany-based MAN Energy is supplying a compressor system for a carbon capture and storage (CCS) unit being built at Norcem’s Brevik cement plant. The scope of supply includes an RG 63-7 type electrically-powered compressor train. The steam generators cool the CO2 mixture between the compressor stages and generate steam that is in turn used for capture. The project will be the first to use the ‘Carbon Capture Heat Recovery’ technology (CCWHR) developed by MAN and Aker Carbon Capture. This new process allows the heat emerging from the compressor system to be recovered and used as steam to meet approximately one third of the total heat demand from the Aker Carbon Capture plant. Consequently, MAN says that the system solution demands less energy compared with conventional carbon-capture technologies.
Alexander Sobolyev, Head of Standardisation & Solutions at MAN Energy Solutions, said: "As part of the Norcem project, the digital-twin-based engineering approach of MAN Energy Solutions has led to concrete optimisations. The dynamic process simulation showed that originally planned system components, including heating, valves and additional pipes for safe plant operation, were not required. The time taken for a cold start of the plant can thus be reduced from around 12 hours to 20 minutes – an important characteristic as quick-start capability is always a central criterion for renewable energies."