Case
Carbon capture, storage and utilisation
Danish Industry (DI) is Denmark’s largest business and employers’ organisation. DI’s mission is to help Danish companies succeed, at home and abroad. Companies are crucial to maintain prosperity and to achieve societal goals such as sustainability, and play a vital role in addressing climate change by mobilising private climate finance, developing green solutions and technologies, as an advocator for ambitious climate action.
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Photo credit: Aalborg Portland
The cement industry accounts for roughly 7% of global CO2 emissions, while being considered one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise. A significant part of the emissions comes from the chemical process of heating limestone (calcium carbonate), which naturally releases CO2.
Aalborg Portland has already cut its CO2 emissions by 36% during a three-year period from 2021 to 2024 through increased use of biogenic fuels and low-carbon products. Capturing CO2 makes it possible for Aalborg Portland to cross the finish line to CO2 neutrality by 2030. A technology like carbon capture is critical for eliminating unavoidable CO2 emissions, but its success relies on large-scale investments, strong partnerships, and public support to build a functioning market.
Together with Air Liquide, Aalborg Portland has launched the ACCSION project, which stands for Aalborg CCS using Infrastructure Onshore in Northern Denmark. The project will establish one of Europe’s first fully integrated onshore CO2 value chains. Using Air Liquide’s Cryocap™ technology, around 95% of CO2 emissions from Aalborg Portland’s cement kilns will be captured, purified, and then liquefied. The CO2 will then be transported via new pipeline infrastructure to a dedicated onshore storage site.
The project is receiving EUR 220 million in funding from the EU Innovation Fund, which has been instrumental in turning the ambition into reality. Large-scale carbon capture projects require significant investments that companies cannot carry alone. Public funding, such as EU and Danish schemes, is therefore crucial to bridge the financial gap, drive technology deployment, and establish a viable CO2 market in Denmark and across Europe
Once operational, expected in 2029, ACCSION will enable Aalborg Portland to reduce its CO2 emissions by 1.5 million tonnes annually. The captured CO2 includes emissions from both grey and white cement production lines. This will make Aalborg Portland the first cement producer in the EU capable of delivering CO2-neutral cement at scale.
Furthermore, surplus heat from the capture process will be utilised in the district heating network, supplying heat to approximately 20,000 additional households in Aalborg Municipality. This is on top of the 25,000 households already receiving surplus heat from Aalborg Portland today.
Combined with Aalborg Portland’s other climate initiatives, such as increased use of biogenic fuels and low-carbon products like their innovative type of cement called FUTURECEM, this will make Aalborg Portland CO2-neutral on direct emissions by 2030.
Together, these measures constitute the largest single contribution to CO2 reductions in Denmark’s history. The project sets a new benchmark for carbon capture deployment in hard-to-abate industries and accelerates Denmark’s contribution to EU climate targets
