New site chosen for Calix’s Leilac low emission cement plant

Industrial technology company Calix has announced a new site for its Leilac-2 cement plant, which is commercialising new kiln technology enabling the capture of CO2 in process gases in the manufacture of cement and lime.

The plant, supported by the EU, was forced to relocate from its original planned site at a HidelbergCement’s operational plant in Hannover, Germany.

Heidelberg announced the end clinker production at the site, with a new site now selected at Heidelberg Materials’ Ennigerioh plant (pictured).

The Leilac-2 facility is designed to be retrofitted to existing cement plants and aims to demonstrate efficient capture of CO2 up to100,000 tonnes per year of unavoidable carbon dioxide emissions.

Cement is normally made using coke internally in a kiln, with Calix’s process utilising external heating which can be derived from renewable energy coupled with capture of process gas.

Calix subsidiary Leilac’s CEO Daniel Rennie said: “The Leilac technology represents a scalable and economical solution to address carbon dioxide emissions that are produced unavoidably by the cement and lime industries, and the rapid demonstration of such solutions is essential to achieving our industrial decarbonisation goals.”

Construction of the Leilac-2 facility will be based on an existing engineered design and is targeted to begin ‘promptly’ following the issue of permits.

“Ultimately Leilac’s technology is designed to be delivered through a blueprint model, for construction by local companies using local resources.”

In Australia Calix is developing the kiln technology with building products groups Adbri and Boral. It is also developing a lithium chemicals plant with Pilbara Minerals, supported by a $20 million Modern Manufacturing Initiative grant.

Further reading:
Leilac-2 low carbon cement facility to relocate
Calix raises funds for Boral and Adbri low-emission industrial plants
Calix and Pilbara Minerals progress lithium chemicals plant
Browse @AuManufacturing’s coverage of Calix here.

Picture: Calix/Leilac-2 module located at Heidelberg Materials’ Ennigerioh plant