Carbon capture and storage at Slite cement plant in Sweden

Heidelberg Materials, one of the world’s largest cement producers and the sole producer in Sweden, is set to cut all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at its Slite cement plant by 2030, contributing to the decarbonisation of one of the world’s most polluting industries.
Carbon capture and underground storage plan for Heidelberg Cement plant in Slite
Cement factories are among the largest industrial CO2 emitters in the world, accounting for approximately 8% of total emissions. In Sweden, around three-quarters of the country’s cement supply comes from the Slite cement plant on the island of Gotland, which has been in operation for more than 100 years.
Heidelberg Materials plans to capture up to 1.8 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually at the Slite plant by 2030. The amount corresponds to approximately 3% of Sweden’s total emissions. Part of the CO2 captured will come from biogenic sources, giving the plant the potential to not only cut its own emissions, but also contribute to negative emissions by 2030.
Providing solid expertise for capturing carbon emissions
Ramboll has provided expertise during the feasibility phase of this large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. The engineering activities have included investigating capture facilities, energy recovery optimisation, and buffer storage, as well as logistics solutions for managing the captured CO2.
The feasibility study, completed at the end of 2023, will enable Heidelberg Materials to enter a front-end engineering design (FEED) phase with basic engineering development.
Carbon capture plays a key role in decarbonising the cement industry
Globally, the demand for cement has tripled over the last 40 years.
Cement production requires large amounts of fuel, and the process of converting limestone into clinker inherently releases CO2. About 40% of the CO2 emissions from a cement plant come from fossil fuel usage, while 60% originate from the calcination process.
Cement producers are targeting various decarbonisation pathways, including raising energy efficiency, increasing the use of bioenergy, and substituting part of the limestone clinker with steel slag or other cementitious materials. However, the only solution at hand for fully decarbonising a cement plant and producing carbon-neutral cement at scale is using CCS technologies.
The climate-positive cement from the Slite plant will play a crucial role in decarbonising the built environment in Sweden.

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