Heidelberg Materials advances carbon capture with its Brevik CCS plant in Norway

The facility will reduce emissions by up to 400,000 metric tons of CO2 per year.

Published: December 3, 2024

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Heidelberg Materials, one of the leading companies in the building materials industry, has achieved a significant milestone in its carbon capture project at its Brevik plant in Norway. This progress is part of its commitment to carbon neutrality and the reduction of CO₂ emissions in the cement industry.

About the Brevik CCS project

The Brevik project is the first of its kind worldwide in the cement industry, with a plant that has the capacity to capture up to 400,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year , representing 50% of the facility’s emissions. This initiative is part of Longship, the Norwegian government’s programme aimed at supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Photo of the carbon capture project — The project enables the company to reduce its own emissions. Source: Heidelberg Materials

With this advanced technology, Heidelberg Materials is not only reducing its own emissions, but is also laying the foundation for the implementation of similar solutions in other plants around the world. CO₂ capture is a crucial step towards the future of the building materials industry and demonstrates the ability to integrate carbon capture technology into existing plants without interrupting production.

The Brevik project was made possible by close collaboration between Heidelberg Materials and various technical partners. During the integration phase, more than 1.2 million hours of precision engineering work were carried out, involving up to 400 employees and external collaborators. This joint effort enabled the mechanical phase to be completed on schedule, marking a crucial step forward in the plant’s commissioning.

The completion of the mechanical phase is a significant achievement, bringing us ever closer to the implementation of one of the most promising technologies in the fight against climate change.
commented Axel Conrads, CTO of Heidelberg Materials.

evoZero® carbon-capturing cement

With the start-up of the Brevik plant, Heidelberg Materials is positioning itself as a leader in the transition to a net-zero economy . The use of evoZero® carbon-captured cement will be key to enabling its customers, mostly builders and developers of sustainable projects in Europe, to contribute to the sustainable future of the sector.

In addition, lessons learned during the development of this CO₂ capture plant will be applied in future projects. The infrastructure required to safely store CO₂ under the North Sea is critical to the long-term success of such initiatives.

Heidelberg Materials is not stopping there, as the company has already launched more than a dozen carbon capture projects around the world, driving the adoption of sustainable solutions on a large scale. As methods and technologies are refined, Heidelberg Materials remains committed to expanding its sustainable business model. The video below shows progress on the project.