Pioneering a full CCS value chain solution in Germany: Heidelberg Materials’ newly launched GeZero project
To reach international climate goals, first full-scale capture plants in the cement sector need to be operational before 2030, and Heidelberg Materials is taking responsibility as a frontrunner. Its newly launched GeZero carbon capture project will fully decarbonise cement production at the company’s Geseke plant in Germany.
Showcasing an entire CCS value chain solution for an inland location, the first-of-its-kind project aims to capture 700,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually from 2029. The holistic approach of the GeZero project also considers the possibility that a pipeline infrastructure might not (yet) be operational by 2029. As the Geseke plant already has a functional rail loading facility, the CO₂ will be initially transported via train which allows an even faster implementation of the project and a unique opportunity to demonstrate the feasibility for other inland locations.
Support for GeZero is also expressed by the EU Innovation Fund, one of the world’s largest funding programmes for innovative low-carbon technologies, which recently selected the project for Grant Agreement Preparation. With about a dozen CCUS projects already underway, Heidelberg Materials aims to reduce its CO₂ emissions by 10 million tonnes by 2030.