CEMEX, Linde Secure €157 Million for CO2 Project in Germany

A consortium led by cement leader CEMEX and Linde, a top industrial gasses and engineering company, has been awarded €157 million (US$170 million) in funding from the EU Innovation Fund, which it will use to develop an innovative Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) project at CEMEX’s Rüdersdorf Cement Plant in Germany. This project marks CEMEX’s largest planned CCUS initiative, with the goal of capturing 1.3Mt of CO2 annually and decarbonizing the Rüdersdorf site by 2030.

“Our Future in Action climate action strategy is working hard to drive several revolutionary CCUS projects across our global operations. While we are working hard to decarbonize using existing technology (“reduce before capture”), an important component of our Future in Action strategy is to develop breakthrough decarbonization solutions for our industry to reach Net Zero. This project is one of those tools,” says Sergio Menéndez, President, CEMEX Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia. 

At the Rüdersdorf plant, Linde will implement its cutting-edge HISORP CO2 capture technology for the first time. This innovative cryogenic-adsorptive process captures CO2 directly from the plant’s exhaust gasses. Once captured, the raw CO2 is compressed and liquefied, ensuring it meets the purity standards for safe storage. The liquefied CO2 will then be transported by rail to a regional CO2 hub and eventually shipped to a designated offshore storage facility in the North Sea, where it will be stored permanently.

The project focuses on carbon capture and also incorporates environmentally friendly practices. For example, the process will be powered by locally sourced green electricity, and water extracted from the condensation of exhaust gasses will be recycled, further minimizing environmental impact.

This initiative is a cornerstone of CEMEX’s “Future in Action” program, a comprehensive sustainability and decarbonization strategy aimed at achieving net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. Launched in 2020, the program has already made significant strides in reducing CEMEX’s carbon footprint. The Rüdersdorf CCUS project represents the next step in CEMEX’s pursuit of innovative solutions to decarbonize the cement industry, traditionally one of the most carbon-intensive sectors.

The CCUS project at Rüdersdorf aligns with the European Union’s broader goals of promoting sustainable industrial practices and achieving climate neutrality. By 2030, the facility aims to be fully decarbonized, positioning CEMEX as a leader in sustainable construction and industrial innovation.