Material to build our future
Introducing Heidelberg Materials
Heidelberg Materials is the second biggest global company in the cement industry, with a turnover of EUR 18.9 billion and more than 51,000 employees in over 50 countries. Heidelberg Materials aims to achieve carbon neutrality for concrete by 2050 at the latest, and to produce 30% less CO2 emissions compared to 1990 by 2030. Heidelberg Materials is the first cement producer that received approval for its CO2 reduction targets according to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) criteria.
2050 decarbonisation roadmap
In its 2050 decarbonisation roadmap, Heidelberg Materials placed a large emphasis on avoiding CO2 emissions through a wide range of measures (energy efficiency, clinker substitution, biomass use, calcined clay, low carbon concrete, concrete recycling, re-use of recycled cement paste).
Nevertheless, these measures need to be complemented with CCS in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and in order to reach the EU goal of a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 for the European (cement) industry. As a consequence, Heidelberg Materials has allocated considerable resources to preparing a strategic plan for CCS, as well as developing and implementing early moving projects.
How Heidelberg Materials works with CCS
Heidelberg Materials has been active in CCS since as early as 2007, as a member of the European Climate Research Alliance (ECRA) developing oxyfuel technology. Via Norcem, our subsidiary in Norway, we have conducted early investigations into carbon capture technology that resulted in the well-known Brevik CCS project, which will be the first large-scale CCS project for the cement industry in the world.
We have developed a complete portfolio of CCS projects, both independently and with partners in national or EU-funded projects. In addition to ACCSESS, some of our key CCS projects include:
- The Brevik CCS project in Norway
- Microalgae CCS in Morocco
- Direct separation demonstration: LEILAC1 + LEILAC2
- Oxyfuel demonstration line: Catch4Climate
- Slite cement plant in Sweden
- Padeswood CCS as part of HyNet in the UK
- Edmonton CCS in Alberta, Canada
- Recarbonation of recycled concrete paste (RCP): C2inCO2
- Concrete hardening by CO2: K4
Our contribution to ACCSESS
In ACCSESS, Heidelberg Materials builds on its vast network and rich experience in CCS, as well as recent experience in Horizon 2020-funded projects. Our contribution is threefold:
- Hosting the Saipem demo at our site in Górażdże, Poland,
- Facilitating and guiding the design by VDZ, Linde and SINTEF of a fully integrated post combustion capture unit, both at our sites in Hanover, Germany and Górażdże, Poland, and
- Contributing to the transport value chain analysis to connect both sites to the Norwegian storage location.
In addition to this operational role, Heidelberg Materials is participating to the Industrial Advisory Board of the ACCSESS project and supporting the IP-team.
Contact
Jan Theulen, Head Technologies & Partnerships
