Germany: SPIE installs the world’s first industrial-scale CCU facility for a cement plant

SPIE, the independent European leader in multi-technical services in the areas of energy and communications, is installing the world’s first industrial-scale Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) facility for the cement industry. The project, commissioned by Linde Engineering, is being carried out at Heidelberg Materials’ Lengfurt cement plant and is set to commence operations in 2025, with a capture capacity of 70,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. Due to its high purity, the captured and processed gas can be utilised in both the chemical and food industries. SPIE is responsible for the majority of the facility’s mechanical installations. 

Designed by Linde Engineering, the CCU facility marks a key milestone in decarbonising the CO₂-intensive cement industry. It captures carbon dioxide produced during the combustion process, enabling the direct reuse of this valuable resource in industrial applications. According to the German Cement Works Association (VDZ), producing one tonne of cement in Germany generates an average of 600 kilograms of CO₂ emissions, two-thirds of which are due to process-related emissions from limestone calcination. As a result, the cement industry’s annual emissions currently total approximately 20 million tonnes of CO₂, equivalent to about two percent of Germany’s national emissions, based on the VDZ’s findings.

SPIE’s scope of work includes pre-dressing the columns (i.e., the preparatory work before installation), pre-fabricating and assembling piping, the complete steel structure assembly, the majority of equipment installations, mounting supports, as well as insulation and corrosion protection. Installation of the initial equipment and containers began in September.

“A facility of this scale requires technical expertise and a well-coordinated team,” says Uwe Remmling, Project Manager in SPIE Germany Switzerland Austria’s Industry Services & Wind operational division. “There is an incredible amount of material involved in this project: The total length of piping to be installed is 5,500 metres alone. The largest of the three columns weighs 100 tonnes and stands approximately 55 metres tall. And we’re using a total of 290 tonnes of steel. Challenges include the confined site and the tight schedule.”

“The technology of CO₂ capture and subsequent utilisation will play a pivotal role in decarbonising the cement industry,” adds Jan-Jörg Müller-Seiler, Head of the Industry Services & Wind operational division at SPIE Germany Switzerland Austria. “This pilot project enables us to leverage our technical solutions expertise to make an important contribution to more sustainable cement production.”

Linde Gas and Heidelberg Materials have established the joint venture “Capture-to-Use” (Cap2U) to realise and operate the facility. The project is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) under its “Decarbonisation in Industry” funding programme.

Source: SPIE, press release, 2024-12-03.