Building materials and solutions company Heidelberg Materials has initiated a feasibility study for a decarbonization project at its Rezzato Mazzano cement plant in Brescia, which could mark the first production site in Italy for carbon-captured, net-zero cement and concrete, the company said Sept. 30.
“We are excited to explore the economic feasibility of a carbon capture initiative in the Mediterranean,” Chairman of the Managing Board of Heidelberg Materials, Dr. Dominik von Achten, said. “Our ambition at Heidelberg Materials is not only to implement a decarbonization initiative that is highly efficient in terms of resources and energy, but also to provide an important impetus for the development of a regional CCS cluster.”
The study will assess the potential for capturing CO2 from cement production and transporting it via pipeline to the Ravenna storage hub under the Adriatic Sea.
A joint venture between Italian integrated energy company Eni and energy infrastructure operator Snam will carry out phase 1 of the project. Heidelberg Materials has started technical discussions with Eni and Snam for a preliminary technical evaluation.
“With an aspired capture rate of more than 95% of our plant’s emissions, this initiative aims to explore options for industrial-scale CCS in Italy,” Jon Morrish, member of the Managing Board of Heidelberg Materials and responsible for Europe, said. “This would enable us to supply locally produced, carbon-captured net-zero cement under our evoZero® brand to customers in the region.”
According to Eni and Snam, the Ravenna CCS project aims to utilize Eni’s depleted gas fields in the Adriatic for permanent geological CO2 storage, with an estimated capacity exceeding 500 million tons, positioning it as a key CCS hub in the Mediterranean. Snam is dedicated to developing the necessary pipeline network to connect emitters to the Ravenna hub.
