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BETTESWORTHConstruction
carbon capture

How Carbon Capture Works in Cement Plants

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Carbon capture in a cement plant is a coordinated process, not a single machine. The plant must separate CO2 from kiln gases or prevent different CO2 streams from mixing, then condition, transport and permanently store (or carefully evaluate a use for) the captured gas. The reason this is difficult is that cement releases CO2 in two ways: limestone calcination creates process emissions, and fuel combustion creates energy emissions.

Capture can address a large share of the kiln’s CO2, but it does not by itself make a plant zero-emissions. Heat and electricity for capture, uncaptured and upstream emissions, and the final storage or use pathway determine the real climate result.

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Why cement plants produce CO2 before capture begins

Cement raw meal contains limestone, or calcium carbonate (CaCO3). In the kiln system, heat drives calcination:

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CaCO3 → CaO + CO2

The calcium oxide (CaO) then becomes part of clinker, the intermediate material ground to make cement. The CO2 released by that chemical reaction is intrinsic to conventional clinker production; changing coal, gas or alternative fuel cannot remove it. Fuel burned to heat the kiln adds a second stream of emissions.

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The Global CCS Institute’s 2025 Global Status of CCS Report attributes about 65% of cement-production emissions to calcination, while the International Energy Agency (IEA) describes process emissions as roughly two-thirds of the sector’s total. These are sector estimates, not measurements for every plant. Kiln flue gas commonly contains about 14–33% CO2, according to the same Global CCS Institute report, along with dust and other contaminants that capture equipment must tolerate or remove. Global CCS Institute, Global Status of CCS Report

This mix of chemical and fuel emissions explains why a cement decarbonisation plan normally combines capture with efficient kilns, lower-carbon fuels, reduced clinker content and supplementary cementitious materials. Capture targets the concentrated CO2 stream, but it does not eliminate the need for those measures.

The main ways a cement plant can separate CO2

Four approaches are receiving the most attention. They differ in where separation occurs, how much of the kiln must be redesigned and what energy penalty is introduced.

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Pathway Where CO2 is separated Major plant change Energy or integration issue Evidence and maturity
Post-combustion solvent capture From mixed kiln exhaust after combustion Downstream absorber, solvent-regeneration unit and gas-cleaning equipment Regeneration heat and electricity; requires space and suitable exhaust conditions Pilot and demonstration experience; IEA reports a dated potential capture rate up to 95%
Oxy-fuel Flue gas made CO2-rich by replacing air with nearly pure oxygen Oxygen supply, combustion redesign and often gas recirculation Air-separation electricity and kiln integration; the stream is not automatically pure CO2 Developing pathway with pilot experience
Direct separation Process CO2 from limestone calcination before it mixes with combustion gas Indirectly heated calciner or related reactor configuration Separate heat-transfer design and a reliable heat source Pilot and pre-commercial development, including the LEILAC concept
Calcium looping A circulating CaO sorbent captures CO2, then releases it during regeneration Carbonator and high-temperature regenerator linked to the cement process High-temperature heat, solids handling and sorbent management Pilots and pre-commercial work, including CLEANKER-related development

The appropriate comparison is site-specific. A retrofit downstream of an existing kiln may favor a different choice from a new kiln designed around oxygen combustion or an indirectly heated calciner. The IEA’s technology overview explains how capture, transport and storage fit together rather than treating any one separator as a complete solution. IEA, “About CCUS”

How post-combustion solvent capture works

Post-combustion capture is the most recognisable retrofit arrangement. Kiln exhaust continues to leave the process, but a separate plant removes CO2 before the gas reaches the stack.

  1. Prepare the exhaust. Dust, sulfur compounds, nitrogen oxides, water and temperature are controlled so they do not degrade the solvent or foul the absorber. Cement exhaust-cleaning equipment therefore becomes part of the capture design, not an optional add-on.
  2. Absorb CO2. The conditioned gas rises through an absorber while a chemical solvent, commonly an amine-based solution, flows downward. The solvent selectively binds CO2 and a treated gas stream leaves the top.
  3. Regenerate the solvent. CO2-rich solvent is pumped to a stripper or regenerator. Steam or another heat source breaks the chemical bond, producing a concentrated CO2 stream and restoring lean solvent for recirculation.
  4. Dry and compress the CO2. Water and impurities are removed as needed, and compressors raise the pressure for pipeline, ship or other transport. Compression is part of the energy and equipment balance even though it is outside the absorber itself.
  5. Return usable heat and manage utilities. Waste heat may supply part of regeneration duty, but the plant still needs additional thermal energy and electricity. Steam extraction can reduce power available elsewhere, so the kiln, power system and capture unit must be modelled together.

An IEA innovation-gap assessment, drawing on earlier ECRA estimates, gives a potential capture rate of up to 95%, with an added 1–3.5 GJ of thermal energy and 50–90 kWh of electricity per tonne of clinker. Those are report estimates with a stated historical basis, not a guaranteed result or a current plant-wide benchmark. IEA, “Industry – Innovation Gaps”

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How oxy-fuel capture changes the kiln atmosphere

Ordinary combustion uses air, which is mostly nitrogen. Nitrogen does not burn, but it dilutes the kiln exhaust and lowers its CO2 concentration. Oxy-fuel systems separate oxygen from air and burn fuel in an oxygen-rich atmosphere instead.

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With much less nitrogen entering the kiln, the exhaust is mainly CO2 and water vapour. Removing water leaves a CO2-rich stream that is easier to condition and compress. Some designs recycle part of the flue gas to control flame temperature and protect kiln equipment; the exact arrangement depends on the kiln and heat-transfer requirements.

The oxygen plant consumes electricity and adds compressors, piping, controls and safety systems. Combustion temperatures, refractory performance, gas circulation and heat recovery can all change. Oxy-fuel therefore reduces dilution; it does not create pure CO2 without further treatment or avoid an energy penalty. The IEA describes oxy-fuel as a developing cement pathway and records an earlier pre-calciner pilot in Denmark. IEA, “CCUS technology innovation”

How direct separation isolates process emissions

Direct-separation concepts prevent calcination gas from mixing with the combustion gases that provide heat. In an indirectly heated calciner, limestone is heated through a wall or another heat-transfer surface. The CO2 released by CaCO3 decomposition exits as a concentrated process stream, while the combustion products remain on the other side.

This arrangement addresses the largest inherent source of cement emissions without first treating a dilute, mixed exhaust. It still needs a heat source, and the indirect reactor, heat-transfer surfaces, material flow and maintenance regime differ from those of a conventional calciner. A direct-separation unit can be considered for a new line or major modification; the available space, throughput and integration with the existing kiln determine feasibility.

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The Global CCS Institute describes the Calix LEILAC reactor concept and its pilot history. That description is evidence of technology development, not a current status statement for every LEILAC phase or site. Global CCS Institute, Global Status of CCS Report

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How calcium looping captures and releases CO2

Calcium looping uses the same calcium chemistry that cement plants already handle. In a carbonator reactor, CaO reacts with CO2 in a gas stream:

CaO + CO2 → CaCO3

The carbonated solids move to a second reactor. High-temperature regeneration reverses the reaction, releasing a concentrated CO2 stream and restoring CaO for another cycle:

CaCO3 → CaO + CO2

Because the sorbent is a calcium material, cement and lime operations may offer useful integration points for solids handling, heat recovery or sorbent supply. Real systems must still manage attrition, make-up sorbent, high-temperature heat, gas circulation and the quality of the CO2 product. The IEA and Global CCS Institute describe cement calcium-looping pilots and pre-commercial work, including the CLEANKER project; those references should not be read as proof that every configuration is commercially routine. IEA, “CCUS technology innovation”

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What happens after CO2 is captured

A separator produces a CO2 stream, not a finished climate solution. The plant operator must design the rest of the chain at the same time.

Conditioning and compression

Captured gas may contain water, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur compounds or solvent-derived impurities. Dehydration and purification protect compressors and pipelines and help the stream meet a storage operator’s specification. Compression changes CO2 into a dense phase suitable for efficient transport, using additional electricity and cooling equipment.

Transport

Short distances may use a dedicated pipeline. Longer or offshore routes can involve intermediate storage and ships. Flow assurance, pressure control, corrosion management, emergency isolation and access to a shared network affect both capital cost and operating reliability. A plant without a credible route to a permitted storage site can capture CO2 temporarily but cannot claim a complete CCS system.

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Geological storage

Permanent storage generally means injecting conditioned CO2 into a deep geological formation under a monitoring, measurement and verification plan. The storage complex must be characterised, permitted and monitored for containment. Capture performance and storage performance are separate measurements.

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Use of captured CO2

Some projects convert CO2 into products such as chemicals or mineral materials. Climate benefit depends on what the product replaces, the energy and feedstocks used, how long the carbon remains locked up and what happens at the product’s end of life. The IEA’s CCUS overview cautions that captured CO2 is not automatically permanent or beneficial simply because it is put to use. IEA, “CCUS in the transition to net-zero emissions”

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Energy use, emissions and cost penalties

Capture equipment consumes energy that the uncaptured plant would otherwise use for clinker production or export. Solvent systems need regeneration heat and electricity; oxy-fuel systems need oxygen production; direct separation needs indirect heat transfer; and calcium looping needs high-temperature circulation and regeneration. The added demand can increase fuel use or require low-carbon electricity, changing the net emissions reduction.

Capture rate is therefore not the same as total plant emissions reduction. A project assessment should account for:

  • CO2 left in untreated or bypassed gas;
  • fuel combustion and raw-material emissions outside the capture boundary;
  • electricity and heat supplied to the capture plant;
  • upstream emissions from fuels, oxygen, solvents and other materials;
  • compression, transport and storage energy; and
  • the measured permanence of storage or the lifetime of a CO2-based product.

The IEA’s Breakthrough Agenda Report 2025 estimates that early-commercial near-zero cement made with CCS could cost 75–150% more than conventional production, depending on region. This is a regional estimate for early commercial plants, not a quotation for a particular kiln or a universal future price. IEA, “Cement and concrete – Breakthrough Agenda Report 2025”

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What plant owners should compare before choosing a pathway

No single capture technology wins on every site. A structured feasibility study should answer these questions:

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  • What stage of evidence exists? Separate laboratory results, pilot hours, demonstrations, first-of-a-kind commercial operation and routine multi-plant deployment. Older readiness labels are not current operating data.
  • Can the project measure net emissions? Set boundaries for capture, utilities, transport, storage and product use before announcing a reduction percentage.

The IEA notes that innovation is particularly important for cement because commercially available options for process emissions remain limited. IEA, “Industry – Innovation Gaps”

What existing projects demonstrate—and what they do not

Brevik, Norway

The IEA reports that a mobile amine test unit operated trials at the Brevik cement plant from 2013 to 2016, accumulating about 8,000 operating hours and capturing approximately 2 kilotonnes of CO2. The account identifies Norcem as plant operator and Aker Solutions as the technology developer. It is a historical pilot record; it does not establish present operating status or the performance of a later full-scale project. IEA, “Industry – Innovation Gaps”

Dania, Denmark

The same IEA report describes a successful oxy-fuel pilot in a cement-kiln pre-calciner, with results released in 2014. That result demonstrates pilot experience, not automatic readiness for every kiln design.

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Texas chemical-use project

IEA records a cement-related chemical-capture project that began operations in 2015, designed to capture 75 kilotonnes of CO2 per year and convert it to sodium bicarbonate, bleach and hydrochloric acid. The cited account does not quantify lifecycle outcomes, so the example cannot establish that every use of captured CO2 is permanent or climate-beneficial.

LEILAC and CLEANKER

LEILAC direct-separation and CLEANKER calcium-looping materials document pilot or pre-commercial development. Project phase, site and operating status can change; current claims require a contemporary project source rather than an old readiness label. The IEA’s innovation review also warns that the global project pipeline remains below the pace required in its 2030 net-zero pathway. IEA, “CCUS technology innovation”

How capture fits a complete cement decarbonisation plan

Capture is most valuable where process CO2 cannot be removed through fuel switching or efficiency alone. It should be evaluated alongside lower clinker ratios, supplementary cementitious materials, material efficiency, efficient kiln operation and lower-carbon fuels. Those measures can reduce the amount of CO2 that a capture plant must handle and the energy needed per tonne of cement.

A credible project description should state the capture boundary, expected operating hours, energy source, residual emissions, CO2 transport route, storage or product destination, monitoring method and technology maturity. Without those details, a headline capture percentage says little about the plant’s actual climate performance.

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In short, cement carbon capture works by separating CO2 at a carefully chosen point in the kiln system, then moving that CO2 through conditioning, transport and verified storage or a justified use. The engineering choice—solvent, oxy-fuel, direct separation or calcium looping—depends on the CO2 source, kiln configuration, energy supply, maturity, storage access and regional economics.

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