Cement Industry's Decarbonization: 3 Questions
CCS and CCUS help the cement industry - and other energy-intensive sectors - to reduce a significant portion of CO2 emissions.
3 Questions to... Jan Bangert on the Decarbonization of the Cement Industry
The cement industry is under increasing pressure to reduce its carbon footprint, as it accounts for roughly 8% of global CO2 emissions. While efficiency improvements help, a significant portion of emissions is process-related and can't be eliminated without advanced solutions. This is where carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies come into play.
Jan Bangert is Head of Sales & Products at Linde Engineering in Dresden; we asked him three questions on the different steps for cement producers who want to either build new cement plants or revamp existing cement plants to decarbonize operations.
What options are there for capturing CO2 from flue gases in cement production?
In general, there are two technology pathways we're actively deploying to address this.
First, end-of-pipe capture solutions remain the most mature option. For example, amine-based systems, like BASF's OASE® blue, can achieve capture rates above 95% and are well-proven in industrial settings. They work by washing flue gas with an amine solvent, then separating and compressing the CO2. These systems are particularly efficient when plants have access to waste heat or low-cost energy for solvent regeneration.
We also see strong interest in a second technology, which also belongs to the end-of-pipe solutions: the electrically powered pressure swing adsorption systems in combination with a cryogenic process, such as Linde's HISORP CC. This approach avoids amines entirely and uses renewable electricity to capture CO2 at similar efficiency levels, delivering very high purity - over 99.8%. It's ideal for sites that want to leverage green power and avoid chemical handling.
The second approach is the so-called oxyfuel technology, a promising route for new builds or major retrofits. By burning fuel in pure oxygen instead of air, we increase the CO2 concentration in flue gas from about 20% to over 50%, which makes capture far more efficient. The challenge here is that existing kilns need significant modifications to manage oxygen combustion and prevent false air ingress, so it's more a strategic investment but not a quick fix.
Which is the most effective model for carbon capture for the cement industry?
When we talk about effectiveness in CC for the cement industry, we need to define what we mean by 'effective.' If we're looking purely at capture efficiency, oxyfuel combustion stands out. By replacing air with pure oxygen during combustion, we increase the CO2 concentration in the flue gas from roughly 20% to over 50%. That makes downstream capture significantly easier and can enable near-complete CO2 recovery. However, oxyfuel retrofits are complex and capital-intensive, so they're not always the first choice for existing plants.
On the other hand, amine-based systems are the most mature and widely deployed today. They consistently achieve capture rates above 95% and integrate well with plants that have access to waste heat. HISORP CC offers similar capture performance but uses only electricity, which is attractive for sites leveraging renewable power.
In terms of effectiveness, HISORP CC also performs very well. It can achieve capture rates of up to 95%, which is comparable to advanced amine-based systems. What really sets HISORP apart is the purity of the CO2 it delivers - greater than 99.8%. HISORP CC avoids the use of amines entirely, so you don't have issues with solvent degradation or nitrosamine emissions. This is another advantage because effectiveness isn't just about capture percentage but also about operational reliability and environmental impact. For plants that have access to renewable electricity, HISORP offers a highly efficient, clean solution that aligns with broader decarbonization strategies.
So, in short: oxyfuel offers the highest theoretical capture potential, but amine systems and HISORP CC are currently the most practical and proven solutions for achieving high capture rates in real-world cement operations.
What are the advantages of CCUS in the cement industry?
First and foremost, CCUS addresses process emissions from calcination, which cannot be eliminated through efficiency improvements alone. That makes CCUS indispensable for achieving deep decarbonization.
Second, the technology is proven to deliver very high capture rates, typically above 95%, and can produce CO2 at purities exceeding 99.8%, which is critical for downstream utilization or sequestration. This opens up commercial opportunities, turning CO2 from a liability into a feedstock for chemicals, fuels, and even food-grade applications.
Third, CCUS helps cement producers meet increasingly stringent regulatory requirements and avoid escalating costs from carbon pricing. It also positions them to access funding mechanisms like the EU Innovation Fund or US 45Q tax credits, which are often essential for project viability.
Finally, CCUS is scalable and adaptable. Solutions like amine systems, HISORP CC, and oxyfuel combustion can be tailored to site-specific conditions, and operational models such as 'Capture as a Service' reduce complexity and risk for early adopters. In short, CCUS is not just a compliance tool - it's a pathway to competitiveness and long-term sustainability.
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