Set in stone: Holcim and 44.01 carbon storage breakthrough

At Holcim's Fujairah cement plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), CO₂ emissions are now being safely stored underground and transformed into solid rock using a natural process, thanks to breakthrough technology developed by our partner and carbon removal leader 44.01.

This innovative project is the UAE’s first, live-condition carbon capture and underground mineralization pilot in our industry, and brings together cutting-edge carbon capture technology and permanent mineralization in a new industrial decarbonization pathway.

From vision to action in Fujairah
 

With global demand growing for cement and concrete to build infrastructure, industry and buildings worldwide, Holcim is leading a transition with our vision to be the leading partner for sustainable construction.

Embracing advanced technologies like 44.01’s that capture and permanently store CO₂ supports Holcim’s industry-leading sustainability roadmap, which is part of our NextGen Growth 2030 strategy, and supports the UAE’s ambition to achieve net zero by 2050.

The pilot is designed to capture carbon emissions daily from the active flue gas of the plant, which is then transported to a nearby underground storage site. Here it is injected into naturally reactive ultramafic rock formations, and mineralized into stable carbonate rock.

Carbon storage by mineralization
 

Mineralization is a naturally occurring geological process. When CO₂ comes into contact with reactive rocks such as peridotite, it reacts and forms stable carbonate minerals. 44.01’s technology accelerates this natural process, turning captured CO₂ into rock underground. Once mineralized, the carbon is permanently locked away and cannot escape to the atmosphere.

44.01’s approach is designed to offer a scalable and permanent alternative to conventional geological storage where compressed CO₂ is pumped into depleted oil and gas reservoirs. Instead, mineralization takes place in the subsurface.

Partnering for decarbonization
 

As well as proving the viability of 44.01’s technology, the Fujairah partnership - which saw the company work in tandem with our Holcim experts on the ground - shows how we can work together to set up viable CO₂ value chains: connecting its capture, transport and sequestration.

With partnership as the new leadership, it also shows how decarbonization will not be achieved by one technology, company or sector working alone. We need to connect industrial facilities with innovative technologies, infrastructure, expertise, and an enabling policy environment.

Carbon capture at the cement plant is being delivered in collaboration with NT Energies, a joint venture between Technip Energies and NMDC Energy, using Shell CANSOLV™ carbon capture technology through the alliance between Shell Catalysts & Technologies and Technip Energies.

Gulf Cryo supports the transportation of captured CO₂ to the mineralization site, while Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation and the Fujairah Environment Authority support the project locally and recognize its impact from an environmental perspective.