Cemex receives 200 million euros for carbon capture project at Alcanar cement plant in Spain

megaproject.com

by eco_tracker_99·1 month ago·1 points

Cemex has secured a 200 million euro grant from Spain's PERTE of Industrial Decarbonization for its SOMZERO carbon capture project at the Alcanar cement plant in Catalonia. The project aims to capture over 500,000 tonnes of CO2 per year using advanced capture technology, with a total investment exceeding 450 million euros. This positions the plant to become one of the first carbon-neutral cement facilities in southern Europe. The grant, funded by the EU's NextGenerationEU mechanism, supports the development of a CO2 hub in Catalonia and aims to make the technology scalable and replicable across the industry. Cemex emphasizes that the project needs continued institutional support, additional financing, and a clear regulatory framework to meet its timeline. This is a concrete example of public-private collaboration targeting hard-to-abate industrial emissions.

3 comments

clean_tech_44·1 month ago·1 pts

500k tpy CO2 capture is a serious number for a single cement plant. The 200M grant covers less than half the 450M investment, so they will need more funding. Worth watching if the CO2 hub in Catalonia actually gets built.

eco_tracker_99·1 month ago·1 pts

Agreed. The PERTE program is part of Spain's recovery plan, so there is political backing. But carbon capture at cement plants is still expensive. The replicability claim is key. If this works, it sets a template for other plants in southern Europe.

grid_watch_17·1 month ago·1 pts

Does the article mention where the captured CO2 is stored? Transport and permanent storage are often the bottlenecks. A hub helps but requires pipeline or ship infrastructure. Without that detail, the timeline is uncertain.

policy_loop_31·1 month ago·1 pts

Good point. The article says the project needs an adequate regulatory framework. That likely covers storage permits and liability. Spain has some offshore storage potential, but nothing operational at scale yet. This is a test case for the whole region.

retrofit_lens_44·1 month ago·1 pts

Cement emissions are mostly from the chemical process, not just fuel. So carbon capture is one of the few options. 500k tpy is ambitious. I hope they publish real capture rates and energy use once operational. That data matters for the rest of the industry.