It’s a simple fact of chemistry that cement cannot be produced, without also producing carbon dioxide. But this does not mean that the sector—and its clients in the construction industry—cannot decarbonise. The equally simple solution is just to capture and store the carbon dioxide, before it can enter the atmosphere.

The challenge is how to deliver those carbon capture systems. To fully decarbonise the sector, new chemical processing facilities will need to be installed at every cement plant in the world. In Brevik, Norway, Heidelberg Materials’ first cement plant with carbon capture attached is now operational, and carbon dioxide is being loaded onto ships for storage.

The next plant to be built will be Padeswood, in Wales. Here, Heidelberg Materials UK will be capturing carbon dioxide, and piping it directly into the HyNet storage hub. This hub is one of a series of carbon storage clusters around the UK, each bringing together a number of tough-to-decarbonise industries.

This work will take considerable investment, in equipment, in construction and logistics, and in people. To fund this work, Heidelberg Materials needed to find a way to sell carbon-free cement around the world. It is doing this with a new product, evoZero, that matches locally-produced cement with reliably tracked carbon credits.

It’s an approach that is winning the support of major public sector clients, including the UK’s National Highways. The agency aims to reduce the carbon emissions from one of its largest new projects, the Lower Thames Crossing, by as much as 70%. The lessons learned from this project, and from Heidelberg Materials construction of these first carbon capture plants, will be spread throughout the supply chain, establishing a scalable part to carbon free cement.

Guests

Iain Walpole, Head of Process and Sustainability – Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage, Heidelberg Materials

Nina Cardinal, Technical Strategy Director, Heidelberg Materials

Andrew Kidd, Director of Environmental Sustainability, Lower Thames Crossing, National Highways

Partner

Heidelberg Materials is a leading supplier of heavy building materials to the construction industry, producing aggregates (crushed rock, sand and gravel), ready-mixed concrete, asphalt, cement and cement related products, and recycled materials.

Through ground-breaking innovation, Heidelberg Materials pioneering carbon capture and storage, and transforming the construction industry. By introducing the world’s first carbon captured net zero cement, evoZero, construction partners have the opportunity to build a better tomorrow.

The post #346 Scaling Carbon-Free Cement first appeared on Engineering Matters.