go4zero project
GO4ZERO will deploy an innovative air-oxyfuel switchable kiln with carbon purification technology at Holcim’s cement plant in Obourg, Belgium. CO2 will then be sequestered under the North Sea. The project aims to be operational by 2029 and store around 1.1 million tons of CO2 per year.
In 2023, the project was selected for a grant from the EU Innovation Fund.
GROUNDBREAKING EVENT
With a groundbreaking ceremony held on May 16, 2024, at our Obourg, Belgium plant, Holcim officially kicked off phase 1 of its GO4ZERO project. This project is organized in two phases: phase 1 consists of modernizing the plant through the commissioning of a state-of-the-art new kiln, ensuring an optimal basis for carbon capture. In phase 2, the plant will reach net zero emissions through the deployment of the end-to-end CO2 value chain alongside our industry partners.
Through a planned investment of over EUR 500 million, the GO4ZERO project – which transforms cement manufacturing at every stage of the process – is putting innovation to work to advance Europe’s decarbonization.
The ceremony was attended by Belgian PM, Alexander De Croo and European Commissioner for Climate Action, Wopke Hoekstra.
By advancing decarbonization as a driver of profitable growth, Holcim is on course to make near-zero cement and concrete a reality at scale this decade. GO4ZERO is one of our eight large-scale, European Union-supported carbon capture, utilization and storage projects. These projects will enable us to produce over 8 million tons of near-zero cement a year for our customers.
Image gallery
From left to right: Miljan Gutovic, CEO Holcim Group; Alexander De Croo, Belgian Prime Minister; Cédric de Meeûs, Head of Public Affairs & Government Relations at Holcim and Edelio Bermejo, Head of Innovation at Holcim
From left to right: Miljan Gutovic, CEO Holcim Group; Alexander De Croo, Belgian Prime Minister; Wopke Hoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate Action and Morgan Malecotte, CEO Holcim Belgium
Morgan Malecotte, CEO Holcim Belgium
Morgan Malecotte, CEO Holcim Belgium
From left to right: Wopke Hoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate Action; Cédric de Meeûs, Head of Public Affairs & Government Relations at Holcim and Miljan Gutovic, CEO Holcim Group
Foundation stone of GO4ZERO CCUS plant
From left to right: Morgan Malecotte, CEO Holcim Belgium and Miljan Gutovic, CEO Holcim Group
From left to right: Audrey Rivet, Production Manager at Holcim Belgium; Morgan Malecotte, CEO Holcim Belgium; Miljan Gutovic, CEO Holcim Group; Wopke Hoekstra, European Commissioner for Climate Action; Alexander De Croo, Belgian Prime Minister and Vincent Michel; Program Director GO4ZERO at Holcim Belgium
go4zero at a glance
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| Net zero by 2029 | Image
| Oxyfuel technology | |
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| 1.1 million tons CO2 captured annually | Image
| EU Innovation Grant funding | |
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| Air-oxyfuel switchable cement kiln | Image
| Storage pathway |
The technology behind the project
The project will be carried out in two phases. The first phase consists of replacing the current clinker kiln with a next-generation air-oxyfuel switchable kiln. This will enable a reduction in CO2 emissions of nearly 30% per ton of clinker.
The second phase consists of capturing CO2 and implementing an innovative oxyfuel process using Air Liquide’s CryocapTM Oxy technology.
The technology will purify CO2 generated from production in Obourg to above 99.5%. Captured CO2 will then be transported via Fluxys’ network to the Antwerp@C CO2 Export Hub where it will be liquified and shipped for storage under the North Sea.
“With GO4ZERO, we are developing a full carbon capture, transport and storage value chain with the goal to be producing net-zero cement by the end of the decade.”
More on Holcim's net-zero journey
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