Air Liquide, Holcim Advance 1.1 MMtpy CO₂ Capture Project in Belgium
Air Liquide and Holcim have signed an agreement to develop a 1.1 million metric ton per year carbon capture project at Holcim’s Obourg cement plant, with CO₂ transported via pipeline to offshore storage in the North Sea.
(P&GJ) — Air Liquide and Holcim have signed an agreement to develop a carbon capture project at Holcim’s cement plant in Obourg, Belgium, targeting the capture of 1.1 million metric tons of CO₂ per year.
Under the agreement, Air Liquide will supply oxygen for Holcim’s oxyfuel-ready clinker production line and deploy its proprietary Cryocap™ OXY technology to capture CO₂ emissions. The captured CO₂ is intended to be transported via pipeline to a CO₂ export hub, such as Antwerp@C, for shipment to permanent offshore storage sites in the North Sea.
The project is part of Holcim’s GO4ZERO investment program, which aims to achieve carbon neutrality in Belgium by the end of the decade. A Final Investment Decision remains subject to additional partnerships across the value chain and public sector support, including infrastructure regulation and risk-sharing mechanisms.
Émilie Mouren-Renouard, member of Air Liquide’s Executive Committee, notably in charge of supervising operations in Europe, stated:
“The transition toward a low-carbon industry is a long-term endeavor that requires steady collaboration and public support in its initial phase. For many years, Air Liquide has been committed to decarbonize industrial sectors such as the cement industry, with the development of its visionary and advanced carbon capture technologies. Alongside our partner Holcim, we share the same ambition and this new milestone agreement for the pioneering GO4ZERO project is a powerful signal for Belgium’s industrial decarbonization and energy transition.”
If completed, the facility would rank among the largest carbon capture initiatives in the European cement sector and contribute to the European Union’s 2050 net-zero targets.