TotalEnergies and Holcim partner to decarbonise cement plant

TotalEnergies and Holcim have signed a memorandum  of understanding (MoU) to work together on the full decarbonisation of a cement production facility being upgraded by Holcim in Obourg, Belgium. Various energies and technologies will  be assessed for the efficient capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS) of around  1.3 million metric tons of CO2 emitted by the facility every year. 

Each partner will contribute its best-in-class technologies and its know-how to explore and  develop the project, including: 

• an innovative new air-oxyfuel switchable kiln, to facilitate the capture and purification  of CO₂ in the flue gases, as part of Holcim’s upgrade of the current cement plant; and 
• the transportation and use of the captured CO₂ by TotalEnergies for an innovative e fuel producing scheme and/or deposit in geological storage in the North Sea. 

TotalEnergies will assess the development of renewable projects to power a new electrolyzer,  which would generate the green hydrogen needed to produce e-fuels. This new renewable  energy production capacity would also power Holcim’s new oxyfuel kiln, thus contributing to  the decarbonisation of the cement plant. Finally, the oxygen emitted by the electrolyzer would be used to fuel the new kiln. 

“The unique, integrated and sustainable solution that we are looking to provide to Holcim for  the full decarbonization of its cement plant emissions—with its range of technologies and new  decarbonized molecules—is a first, marking a milestone in the decarbonization of heavy  industry and its hard-to-abate emissions. We are pleased to partner with Holcim to work on the  development of sustainable and carbon neutral industries in Europe, in partnership with our  clients and in line with their decarbonisation strategy,” said Christophe Sassolas, Senior vice  president, OneB2B Solutions at TotalEnergies. “TotalEnergies is looking forward to  deploying other integrated solutions like this one elsewhere, as we move toward reducing our  scope 3 emissions, in line with our Climate Ambition to get to Net Zero emissions by 2050,  together with society.” 

“Cement industry decarbonization is extremely challenging because of the process’s inevitable  CO₂ emissions, which put us firmly in the hard-to-abate sector. CCUS is vital for Obourg to  become the first net carbon neutral clinker plant in northwest Europe. We are very happy to  work with TotalEnergies to accelerate the development of these CCUS solutions for  GO4ZERO. By joining the first movers, we want to set the standards for future clinker  manufacturing plants,” said Bart Daneels, CEO, Holcim Belgium.