CEMEX receives funding to develop carbon capture in cement industry

CEMEX has been awarded a grant from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a pilot carbon capture unit.

The project will take place at CEMEX’s cement plant at Victorville,  California. Last year, CEMEX announced its target of reducing CO₂ emissions by 35%/t of cementitious products by 2030. It also has a longer-term ambition to produce net-zero CO₂ concrete by 2050.

The project is a collaboration with Carbon Clean, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and RTI international which will lead the initiative. The value of the grant was not disclosed.

The aims of the project include developing, optimising, and scaling up specific CO₂ capture process components, and incorporating next-generation non-aqueous solvents. The collaboration will assess the integration of modular carbon capture technology with the cement plant, as well as evaluate the cost and technical considerations of using the captured CO₂ as a feedstock for new products.

Jaime Muguiro, CEMEX USA President, said: “CEMEX is committed to being part of the solution to reduce carbon emissions globally and to deliver net-zero CO₂ concrete to all of our customers by 2050. We cannot achieve these without innovative technology and collaborative relationships with both public and private organisations who share a commitment to climate action. This grant gives us an excellent opportunity to further develop a new technology to help us all reach our goals.”

Paul Mobley, Research Chemical Engineer at RTI, said: “With CEMEX being a project partner and technology stakeholder, the design and integration of the capture system with its cement plant, and subsequent use of the CO₂ at its concrete plants are set to align with the industry’s needs. The development of this highly disruptive CO₂ capture technology could accelerate industry adoption and thereby significantly reduce industrial emissions.”