Heidelberg Materials North America and MHI Are Working Toward First Full-Scale Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage Solution for Cement Industry

Aug 17, 2023 16:02 JST

Source: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

TOKYO, Aug 17, 2023 - (JCN Newswire) - Heidelberg Materials announced that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has delivered and installed a compact CO2 pilot capture system "CO2MPACT" at its cement plant in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Edmonton Cement Plant (photo courtesy of Heidelberg Materials.)

Through a partnership between Heidelberg Materials, the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta, the facility is expected to become the first full-scale carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) solution for the cement industry globally. The new facility, which Heidelberg Materials anticipates being operational by late 2026, will capture more than 1 million tonnes of CO2 annually from its Edmonton cement plant and the combined heat and power facility that is integrated with the capture process.

Alberta Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, Rebecca Schulz, joined the Heidelberg Materials and MHI teams at the Edmonton cement plant to formally initiate operations of the pilot CO2 capture system. "Alberta is widely recognized as a leader in developing CCUS technology thanks in large part to industry trailblazers like Heidelberg Materials," said Minister Rebecca Schulz. "Our province has invested billions of dollars to help industry cut emissions and will continue to support practical innovations that create jobs and grow the economy. We look forward to seeing this exciting Alberta success story continue in the years ahead."

This project supports Heidelberg Materials' vision of leading the decarbonization of the cement industry. Actively contributing to the development of the new 1.5degC framework, Heidelberg Materials was the first company in the cement sector to have its targets endorsed by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) in 2019.

"Today is substantial milestone in our journey to building the world's first full-scale carbon capture project in the cement industry," said Joerg Nixdorf, Vice President Cement Operations, Northwest Region for Heidelberg Materials North America. "This initiative focuses the cement industry's decarbonization efforts on the Province of Alberta, and we are encouraged by this significant step to lead the sector in CCUS."

The Edmonton cement plant will leverage MHI's proprietary Advanced KM CDR Process using the KS-21 solvent (jointly developed with The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.) and will initially pilot the technology by testing different fuel sources and various plant operating modes. The pilot plant will enable Heidelberg Materials to validate the effectiveness of MHI's technology on its specific flue gas as part of a two-stage competitive process that is currently underway to inform the final design. At full operation, captured CO2 will be transported via pipeline and permanently sequestered. MHI's involvement also includes providing remote support services for the facility, using its proprietary remote monitoring system. "MHI Group is proud to collaborate with Heidelberg Materials as an innovative solution provider for decarbonization of the cement sector, which is still a new frontier for CCUS and excited to contribute to the effort on carbon neutrality in the Province of Alberta," said Kenji Terasawa, CEO and Head of Engineering Solutions.

About MHI Group's CO2 Capture Technologies

MHI has been developing the KM CDR Process - (Kansai Mitsubishi Carbon Dioxide Recovery Process) and Advanced KM CDR Process - in collaboration with Kansai Electric Power since 1990. As of August 2023, the Company has delivered 15 plants adopting the KM CDR Process -, and three more are currently under construction. The Advanced KM CDR Process - uses KS-21 -, which incorporates technological improvements over the amine-based KS-1 - solvent adopted at all 15 of the commercial CO2 capture plants MHI has delivered to date. The advanced version offers superior regeneration efficiency and lower deterioration than the KS-1 -, and it has been verified to provide excellent energy saving performance, reduce operating costs, and result in low amine emissions.

For further information on MHI's CO2 capture plants: www.mhi.com/products/engineering/co2plants.html

About Heidelberg Materials

Based in Irving, Texas, Heidelberg Materials North America is part of Heidelberg Materials, one of the world's largest integrated manufacturers of building materials and solutions. At the center of our actions lies our responsibility for the environment. We are pioneers on the road to carbon neutrality and circular construction. We're developing new, sustainable building materials as well as intelligent digital solutions.

About MHI Group

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world's leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com.

Source: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Sectors: Energy, Alternatives, Construct, Engineering