Displaying items by tag: CCUS

Switzerland: The decision of the Swiss government in June 2023 against the implementation of a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) has been strongly criticised by the Swiss cement association, Cemsuisse. The association warns of a potential relocation of the Swiss cement industry without such a mechanism, referencing a report by Polynomics. This report concludes that a Swiss CBAM is necessary to level the playing field with EU and non-EU cement suppliers. The EU initiated a CBAM test phase in October 2023, aiming to mitigate production relocation risks to countries with less stringent environmental regulations.

The federal government concluded that a CBAM in Switzerland would benefit few emission-intensive industries at the expense of the wider economy, while also facing regulatory and trade policy risks. It plans to reassess the need for a CBAM in mid-2026, in line with the EU's interim CBAM report.

Cemsuisse, referencing the Polynomics report, states that waiting to potentially introduce a CBAM in Switzerland is not an option. Investments in carbon capture and storage (CCS) are deemed essential for Switzerland's net-zero climate goal and without a CBAM, there is a risk of these investments being unviable due to uncertainty over cost recovery.

The report also points to the risk of increased clinker imports from third countries into the EU, which would be processed and then exported to Switzerland without CBAM levies. As an example, Cemsuisse mentions a planned milling station in Ottmarsheim, Alsace. It says that without a CBAM, the production site in Switzerland faces serious threats.

Cemsuisse said “Without CBAM, this certainty is lacking. And without CCUS, long-term production in Switzerland won't be viable. The population has accepted the climate protection law last summer, where the net-zero goal is legally anchored."

Italy: Scientists Gregory Chass and Kun Tian have developed a sustainable concrete from wet waste materials through their company Mesoscale Engineering Halcyon. This 'green concrete' concept was conceived in Garbatella and will first be tested on the district's pavements. The concrete, made by combining and recycling industrial CO₂ emissions with brine from saltworks, is part of the Clean Energy Transition Partnership. It is also central to the BUCK$$$ project, led by Kun, focusing on carbon capture and utilisation. This project, with €2.54m in funding, involves 13 partners from seven countries.

This innovative concrete arises from 'mineralised CO₂', which is similar to mollusc shells made of calcium carbonate, as well as materials derived from saltwork brine, desalination, and industrial wastewater. Both currently underused products are expected to become crucial in the cement and concrete industries, particularly in Italy.

Germany: According to a new study backed by the German Cement Works Association (VDZ), the country's cement and lime industries require carbon capture and storage (CCS) for decarbonisation. The study outlines the need for a 4800km CO₂ transport pipeline in Germany by 2035.

The VDZ warns that any delay could jeopardise Germany's 2045 climate neutrality target and estimates the investment for the new CO₂ grid at €14bn. The network is expected to transport 6.5Mt/yr of CO₂ by 2030, increasing to 46Mt by 2045. Additionally, CCS transit from Switzerland, Austria and France is expected to contribute 15 - 20Mt.

VDZ president Christian Knell said "Cement manufacturers and other industries in the EU emissions trading system must produce largely climate-neutrally by 2040."

France: Heidelberg Materials France plans to install a 1Mt/yr carbon capture system at its Airvault cement plant in the New Aquitaine. The Airvault cement plant is undergoing an upgrade, including the replacement of two pre-existing semi-dry lines with a new dry line and pre-calciner. This will reduce the plant’s CO₂ emissions by 30% per tonne, reduce its energy consumption by 10% per tonne, reduce its clinker factor and raise its alternative fuel substitution rate to 90%. CO₂ capture is set to commence in 2030. The project is one of several, under the GOCO₂ carbon capture, storage and utilisation (CCUS) cluster, which also includes installations at Holcim France’s Saint-Pierre-La-Cour plant and Lhoist France’s Réty lime plant.

Chair Dominik von Achten said “We started an ambitious modernisation programme for our sites in France several years ago, with a planned investment of more than €400m. With the integration of AirvaultGOCO₂, we are now adding a cutting-edge project in the field of carbon capture to our previous efforts, which will enable a further, massive reduction of Heidelberg Materials’ carbon footprint in France.”

Chief sustainability officer Nicola Kimm added “Our approach in Airvault is a perfect example of Heidelberg Materials’ strategy to implement dedicated carbon reduction roadmaps. We are taking every possible step to reduce CO₂ emissions: Phasing out fossil fuels, reducing the clinker content of our cements, and improving energy efficiency. To mitigate the remaining residual emissions, we rely on CCUS – as part of an integrated scheme and with our strong partners in GOCO₂.”

Denmark: A collaborative effort involving the Technological Institute, DTU, FLSmidth Cement, and Lhoist is underway in Denmark to test a new technology designed to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions in the cement industry. The initiative, known as the Newcement project, is part of the INNO-CCUS partnership which embraces projects focusing on carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and is supported by an investment of US$1.12m from the Innovation Fund. Jens Christiansen, Section Manager at the Technological Institute and Project Manager of the collaboration, aims for the technology to move from laboratory tests to a full-scale demonstration in a real cement production plant.

Belgium: Heidelberg Materials Benelux will invest €450m in its Anthemis project, involving the installation of an 800,000t/yr carbon capture system, at its Antoing cement plant. The project is scheduled for completion in 2029. Captured CO₂ will travel by pipeline to the North Sea for storage.

Germany: The German government published its new carbon management strategy and draft carbon storage law (KSpG) on 26 February 2024. The KSpG revises understandings of carbon neutrality to include CO₂ savings made through carbon capture and storage (CCS). The government says that the legislation primarily aims to support hard-to-abate sectors like cement, while coal-fired power plants will be barred from future CO₂ pipeline access. Heidelberg Materials CEO Dominik von Achten was alongside politicians at the strategy launch. The producer’s Brevik cement plant in Norway is set to become carbon neutral through the capture and storage of 400,000t/yr of CO₂.

German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck said "Achieving our climate targets without CCS is impossible."

UK: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has launched the 3rd Innovandi Open Challenge 2024, with a focus on the deployment of carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) for the decarbonisation of cement and concrete. Possible fields of study include process-integrated and end-of-pipe capture. The 1st Innovandi Open Challenge 2024 previously focused on CCUS, and has now produced two projects at pilot stage.

Cement, innovation and environmental, social and governance (ESG) director Claude Loréa said "Our industry is committed to achieving net zero and the development of carbon capture technology is a key part of that work. Our world-leading Innovandi Open Challenge programme has already seen remarkable progress in just two years, with start-ups and our member companies working together. We're looking forward to seeing what this year's applicants can bring, to build on the extensive work that is already underway across the world."

Norway: Aker Solutions has won a front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract to develop Hafslund Oslo Celsio’s Port of Oslo CO₂ terminal. The unit will facilitate the transport of CO₂ to the Øygarden Northern Lights site under the Longship carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiative. The initiative involves Heidelberg Materials Northern Europe’s Brevik cement plant.

Aker Solutions’ executive vice president, new energies, Henrik Inadomi said “At Aker Solutions, we have a growing track record in supporting our customers across the entire CCS value chain. From capture and transportation to permanent storage, we provide innovative solutions and work with leading partners to support CCS developments across the globe. We are committed to building on this expertise and further strengthening our relationship with Celsio. We are proud to have engineered a cost efficient and effective layout which enabled Celsio to proceed with the next phase of this landmark development.”

The upcoming Global CemCCUS conference on carbon capture, utilisation and storage in Oslo, Norway, will include a visit to the Brevik cement plant on 16 May 2024.

Netherlands: Siam Cement Group has acquired new shares in electrochemistry start-up Avantium through its affiliate Senfi Ventures. Reuters has reported that the Thailand-based group now holds a 3% stake in Avantium, through total investments of US$4.82m.

Avantium’s technologies include the Volta system, which produces commercial chemicals using captured CO₂. Avantium previously tested the system at a Titan Cement Group cement plant in Greece.