LafargeHolcim launches carbon capture project

Over the next four years, Project CO₂MENT will demonstrate and evaluate Inventys’ CO₂ Capture System and a selection of LafargeHolcim’s carbon utilisation technologies at its Richmond, British Colombia cement plant in Canada. The project has three phases and is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2020. Subject to the pilot’s success, the vision is to scale up the project and explore how the facility can be replaced across other LafargeHolcim plants.

During the first phase the partners will work on purifying the cement flue gas in preparation for CO₂ capture. The second phase will focus on the separation of CO₂ from flue gas using a customised for cement version of Inventys’ carbon capture technology at pilot scale. As part of the final phase, the captured CO₂ will be prepared for reuse and support the economical assessment and demonstration of CO₂ conversion technologies onsite, such as CO₂ injected concrete and flyash.

Apart from increasing its focus on innovative breakthrough solutions, such as the CO₂MENT project, LafargeHolcim is also further investing in measures to reduce the clinker-to-cement ratio and consume less energy per tonne of cement, by using lower carbon fuels (LCFs) and improving the efficiency of the company’s processes. At its Richmond plant, the company recently launched a new and improved LCF system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of cement. It will also help minimise landfill waste – specifically, non-recyclable plastics that are creating a backlog for municipalities across Canada.

The CAD$28 million system is expected to replace up to 50% of fossil fuel use with LCFs, and could result in a 20% reduction of combustion emissions. It also allows Lafarge Canada to divert approximately 100 000 tpy of waste from local landfills, the equivalent of about 8300 loaded garbage trucks.

Since 1990, LafargeHolcim has reduced its net carbon emissions per tonne of cement by 25%, making it the leader in international cement companies, with the highest reduction compared to the 1990 baseline. Canada will be pushing to reduce its carbon footprint even further through expanded LCFs, growth in supplementary cementitious materials, and energy efficiency initiatives.

“LafargeHolcim is committed to reducing CO₂ emissions and we are excited to join forces with Inventys and Total through Project CO₂MENT,” said René Thibault, Region Head North America. “We hope to discover ways to capture emissions from our production processes and reuse them in our products, advancing a circular economy even further than today. The recent launch of the new LCF system at our Richmond plant aims to make the facility the most carbon efficient cement plant in Canada. Our investment alongside funding support from the British Colombia Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy has made the system economically viable and demonstrates a long-term commitment to the environment, as well as the British Colombia cement market.”

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/25072019/lafargeholcim-launches-carbon-capture-project/