CO₂NTESSA

Accelerating the transition to climate neutrality: CLIMATE NEUTRAL CEMENT PRODUCTION
in NEXE Plant in Našice, Croatia

The CO₂NTESSA project will lead to implementation of an innovative carbon capture technology at NEXE cement plant in Našice, Croatia.

Existing plant will be modified based on the Polysius PureOxyfuel technology developed by thyssenkrupp. Based on this, the CO₂NTESSA project will allow capture > 700 thousand t CO₂ per year, making cement production at NEXE close to zero emissions. Moreover, the CO₂NTESSA project will unlock the potential for NEXE to become the first negative emitter of CO₂ in the EU because of use of alternative fuels.

The cement industry is very energy intensive and one of the most significant emitters of CO₂, responsible for around 4% of all emissions at the EU level. The need to decarbonise cement industry is urgent to prevent the risk of locking in CO₂ emissions beyond 2050, when the EU plans to achieve full carbon neutrality.

Geologically highly appropriate, onshore storage location Bockovci is located only 38 km away, allowing energy and cost-efficient injection of the captured CO₂ into the saline aquifer. The CO₂NTESSA project will achieve synergy with the GT CCS project which includes renewal of the existing out-of-function pipeline for transport of captured CO₂ from the NEXE cement plant. The GT CCS project is expected to be included into the EU’s list of Projects of Common Interest (PCI), with potential to become a regional hub for CO₂, making the CO₂NTESSA project an important milestone of carbon capture and storage development in Croatia and beyond.

Carbon capture technologies in cement production require massive investments, making high costs the main barrier to wide roll out of carbon capture solutions, so public funding is crucial in reaching energy and climate objectives within the cement industry. Total investment cost in the CO₂NTESSA project will be EUR 400 million, making it one of the largest planned investments in industry in Croatia.

Project CO₂NTESSA enables capturing of CO₂ in more cost-effective way in comparison with similar Carbon Capture projects, securing the long-term competitiveness of cement products abroad.

NEXE has applied the CO₂NTESSA project to the third Large Scale call for grant award of the EU’s Innovation fund in March 2023 (Innovation Fund Large Scale Projects – General decarbonisation). Wide support has already been expressed for the CO₂NTESSA project, from local to EU level, with main industry stakeholders on board.