Air Liquide, Cementir Launch EIF-Supported Decarbonization Project: ACCSION

Air Liquide and Cementir Holding Group launched a joint decarbonization project called ACCSION—the project was granted €220 million in project support by the European Commission’s EIF. ACCSION, located in Aalborg, Denmark, will be a fully onshore carbon capture and storage value chain aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions at the Aalborg Portland cement plant. Project completion will avoid 1.5 million tons of CO₂ emissions per year of operation.

“We welcome the support from the European Commission for the ACCSION project, which illustrates Air Liquide’s commitment to accompany its customers to decarbonize their assets, in line with our ADVANCE strategic plan,” said Emilie Mouren-Renouard, Member of Air Liquide Executive Committee. “Building a low-carbon society is a challenge that demands collaboration. Through this partnership, we join forces with Aalborg Portland to develop tangible decarbonization solutions, contributing to the EU's climate targets of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.”

Air Liquide’s Cryocap will capture, purify, and liquefy approximately 95% of the CO₂ emitted by the plant’s cement kilns. Following capture, the CO₂ will be injected and transported in new pipeline infrastructure to onshore CO₂ storage facilities. The project will help reduce emissions in the hard-to-abate cement industry, as the production of its main component, clinker, requires heating limestone—a CO₂-intensive process. ACCSION is planned for operation by year-end 2029.

Aalborg Portland cement plant; image credit: Air Liquide

“This carbon-capture project is a milestone in our journey towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2050,” said Francesco Caltagirone, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cementir Holding. “We welcome the support of the EIF and look forward to working closely with Air Liquide. We are proud not only to contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Danish climate targets, but also to create a lasting positive impact on the local community.”

Air Liquide Carbon Capture

In mid-July 2024, Stockholm Exergi selected Air Liquide’s large-scale CO₂ liquefaction technology, Cryocap LQ, for its bio-energy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) project. Cryocap LQ and additional equipment will be used for BECCS at an existing heat-and-power biomass plant in Stockholm, Sweden. The liquefaction solution, with a capacity of 3,500 tons per day, enables long-distance CO₂ transport to carbon sinks for permanent sequestration.

Over the first decade of operation, the planned BECCS facility will liquefy and store approximately 8 million tons of biogenic CO₂. Air Liquide’s Cryocap LQ technology uses a chemical-free, non-flammable process in a compact footprint—the design allows heat recovery and reuse to supply Stockholm’s district heating network. EIF supports the project.

In June, Air Liquide and Dunkerque LNG received financial support from the European Commission for the D’Artagnan CO₂ transportation and exportation infrastructure project. D’Artagnan would represent:

• an approximate investment of more than €400 million,
• and benefit from a grant of more than €160 million under the Connecting Europe Facility for Energy funding program.

The new terminal will be built and operated by Air Liquide and Dunkerque LNG, receiving and liquefying CO₂ for shipment to permanent storage sites in the North Sea. For future transport and shipment operations, the terminal is expected to handle additional volumes of up to 4 million tons of CO₂ per year, which is equivalent to more than 5% of industrial greenhouse gas emissions in France.