All about the ambitious decarbonization project being considered by Holcim and Totalenergies

10/10/2022

On September 23, TotalEnergies and Holcim signed a memorandum of understanding in Belgium to jointly study the complete decarbonization of the Obourg cement plant near Mons, in Wallonia. Various solutions will be assessed for reducing, capturing, sequestering and /or efficiently utilizing the facility's emissions.

TotalEnergies and Holcim in Belgium have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together on the full decarbonization of a cement production facility being upgraded by Holcim in Obourg, Belgium.

Each partner will contribute its best-in-class technologies and its know-how to explore and develop the project, including:

  • An innovative new air-oxyfuel switchable kiln, to facilitate the capture and purification of CO2 in the flue gases, as part of Holcim’s upgrade of the current cement plant; and
  • The transportation and use of the captured CO2 by TotalEnergies for an innovative e-fuel producing scheme and/or deposit in geological storage in the North Sea.

Behind this project, the ambition shared by Holcim and TotalEnergies is to progressively decarbonize the cement sector with the aim of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, together with society. To meet this roadmap, Holcim Belgium is implementing the Go4Zero project to modernize its Obourg cement plant and make the facility its first carbon-neutral production site. That means eliminating 1.3 Mtpa (Million Tonnes Per Annum) in direct (Scope 1) emissions and around 0.1 Mtpa in indirect (Scope 2) emissions.

Cement production accounts for nearly 7% of global CO2 emissions. Holcim is on an ambitious decarbonization trajectory, aiming for net zero by 2050. Holcim Belgium chose to work with TotalEnergies, represented by OneB2B Solutions, to meet this challenge. "Exploration & Production's expertise in transporting and storing CO2, combined with Refining & Chemicals' industrial power for using CO2 in renewable fuel, and Gas, Renewables & Power's capacity for developing renewable energies and green hydrogen are all strengths that convinced Holcim Belgium.
Said Kayal OneB2B- Head of cement and construction materials segment