The LEILAC 2 (Low Emissions Intensity Lime And Cement) carbon capture project has successfully passed its Financial Investment Decision milestone, confirming that the project can now enter the implementation phase.
Together with the Australian technology company Calix and a European consortium, HeidelbergCement will proceed to build a demonstration facility integrated into HeidelbergCement’s plant in Hanover, Germany.
The installation will be designed to reduce 20 % of the CO2 emissions of the cement plant’s CO2 emissions, corresponding to around 100,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. With the patented LEILAC technology, the CO2 released during cement production can be captured in a highly pure form via a separate waste gas stream and used in other processes. As minimal additional energy is needed and no chemicals are required, this happens in an especially cost-efficient way. The technology can also be retrofitted in a modular form at any scale and use any fuel or energy source, including biomass, hydrogen, or electricity – providing a ‘future proof’ solution.
“LEILAC 2 is one of several carbon capture projects we are currently pursuing at HeidelbergCement,” says Dr. Dominik von Achten, Chairman of the Managing Board.
“We are very pleased to advance this key technology at industrial scale at our plant in Hanover, Germany. Once the technology has been successfully tested, we will be able to plan and install the technology for the actual permanent capture of CO2 in a second step, taking into account the site conditions in Hanover and the quality requirements for the CO2 for further use. The site is also optimally located to enable transport of the captured CO2 for further use or offshore storage.”
HeidelbergCement aims to achieve CO2 reductions of up to 10 million tonnes by 2030 with several CCUS projects. As part of the prior LEILAC 1 project, a CO2 capture pilot installation with a capture capacity of 25,000 tonnes of CO2 per year had been developed at HeidelbergCement’s Lixhe plant in Belgium. With LEILAC 2, an installation around four times as large will be operated in Hanover. The project now enters the detailed design phase through 2022, followed by procurement and construction of the plant itself.
Construction is expected in 2023, dependent on flag points over the coming months.
