AirvaultGOCO2: Heidelberg Materials launches a CCUS project in France

• The AirvaultGOCO project₂ is part of the GOCO initiative₂ aiming to decarbonize the West of France
• At Airvault, the company will complement conventional measures to reduce CO emissions₂ by CCUS technology
• Heidelberg Materials has already made significant investments to modernize and decarbonize its French cement plants

Heidelberg Materials will carry out a carbon capture, storage and utilization (CCUS) project at its Airvault cement plant in Deux-Sèvres, Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The AirvaultGOCO project₂, with a planned capture capacity of around 1 million tonnes per year, is part of the GOCO initiative₂ aimed at decarbonizing the West of France.

For Dr Dominik von Achten, CEO of Heidelberg Materials: « Several years ago, we launched an ambitious program to modernize our sites in France, with a planned investment of more than 400 million euros. With AirvaultGOCO integration₂, we are now adding to our previous efforts a cutting-edge project in the field of carbon capture, which will further and massively reduce the carbon footprint of Heidelberg Materials in France »

The Airvault modernization project is underway. It provides for the replacement of the two current semi-dry cooking lines with a new dry line, including a pre-calciner with a capacity of 4.000 tonnes per day. In the future, almost 90% of the plant's energy needs will be covered by alternative fuels. The project will also reduce electricity consumption per tonne of cement by 10%. In addition, the proportion of clinker in the cement will be reduced. All of these measures will reduce the carbon footprint of cement produced on the Airvault site by approximately 30% compared to current production.

For Dr Nicola Kimm, Director of Sustainable Development and member of the Board of Directors: « Our approach at the Airvault site is a perfect example of Heidelberg Materials' approach to implementing a roadmap. We take all possible measures to reduce CO emissions₂ : gradual elimination of fossil fuels, reduction of the clinker content of our cements and improvement of energy efficiency. To cut down so-called emissions fatalities, we rely on CCUS – as part of an integrated project and with our strong partners from GOCO₂. »

AirvaultGOCO₂ part of the GOCO initiative₂ launched in July 2023. This is an investment project aimed at capturing CO₂ on industrial sites and transport it to geological storage sites for permanent storage. The captured emissions will be transported by pipeline to Saint-Nazaire then by boat to storage wells located in the North Sea. The biogenic part of CO₂ captured, that is to say the part corresponding to emissions from the combustion of biomass, will be used for the production of e-fuels essential to the ecological transition of the air and maritime transport sector. Subject to the granting of public subsidies and the various necessary regulatory authorizations, the objective is to capture the first tonnes of CO₂ at Airvault in 2030.