Holcim, a major player in building materials, has teamed up with 44.01, a carbon sequestration technology company, to launch a pilot project in the UAE. This collaboration is focused on capturing and mineralizing CO2 emissions from cement production, a prominent source of global greenhouse gases. By leveraging advanced technology, they aim to turn CO2 into rock, capturing emissions directly at the source. This initiative is the latest addition to the growing efforts aimed at mitigating the cement industry’s significant carbon footprint.
Previously, HOCLIM has pursued various sustainable practices, but this is their inaugural project testing 44.01’s mineralization technology with cement-derived CO2. Prior projects by Holcim mainly concentrated on traditional carbon capture and low-carbon products. This collaboration marks a pivotal shift as they explore CO2 mineralization on a site-specific scale, highlighting a new dimension in combating industrial emissions. The decision to proceed with this method underscores the growing exploration of mineralization technologies within the sector over the last few years.
How Does the Mineralization Process Work?
44.01 utilizes a process where captured CO2 is dissolved in water to form an acidic solution. This solution reacts with cations in the rock, facilitating mineralization of CO2 as it gets injected underground. The process benefits from high pressure, temperature, and CO2 concentrations, catalyzing rapid mineralization. This pilot will capture five tons of CO2 daily, a groundbreaking attempt to combine cement emissions with in-situ mineralization.
What Are the Companies’ Long-Term Goals?
For Holcim, the venture aligns with its NextGen Growth 2030 strategy, targeting low-carbon solutions in construction. It’s a significant step for its sustainable development path, in sync with UAE’s Net Zero 2050 objectives. For 44.01, this project serves as a novel collaboration with a European multinational, extending its project repertoire. By working with an industrial partner, it delves into scaling significant mineralization projects worldwide.
Ali Said, Holcim’s CEO in the UAE and Oman, highlighted the significance of joint efforts in this project:
“This project demonstrates how innovation and collaboration can accelerate progress toward net zero. This pilot to decarbonize our cement plant is another example of how we are building progress for people and the planet.”
This underscores the importance of collaborative innovation in pursuing sustainability goals.
The partnership receives support from the Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation and employs NT Energies to implement Shell’s CANSOLV technology. By involving diverse stakeholders, the project emphasizes collective contributions to substantial emission reductions in the region.
Talal Hasan, CEO of 44.01, commented,
“This partnership shows that industrial companies can play a leading role in permanent carbon removal. We are demonstrating a practical and scalable path to decarbonization that can be replicated worldwide.”
His remarks reflect the potential for industrial collaboration to achieve significant climate action.
As global attention focuses on reducing industrial carbon footprints, explorations in direct CO2 mineralization from cement production mark a promising direction. The Holcim and 44.01 project illustrates a practical application of innovative carbon sequestration technologies, aiming for industrial scalability. These initiatives reveal the growing synergy between technology and industrial stakeholders, suggesting a future where concrete steps towards carbon reduction are increasingly collaborative and effective.
