Visit by the Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg highlights the importance of carbon capture technologies for industrial transformation.

Mergelstetten, July 31, 2026 – Today, Baden-Württemberg’s Minister-President Cem Özdemir visited the research and development facility of CI4C GmbH & Co. KG in Heidenheim-Mergelstetten. The visit focused on discussions about the role of innovative carbon capture technologies in transforming energy-intensive industries and supporting the climate goals of the Paris Agreement.

Just a few weeks after the official inauguration of the world’s first research and development facility for carbon capture using the Pure Oxyfuel process, the Minister-President had the opportunity to see the project’s latest progress firsthand. The facility is operated by the research company CI4C GmbH & Co. KG, which was founded by the four European cement manufacturers Buzzi/Dyckerhoff, Heidelberg Materials, SCHWENK Zement, and Vicat.

During a tour of the facility, Özdemir learned about the project’s technological foundations, operational experience to date, and the importance of Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) for decarbonizing the cement industry. He emphasized the significance of initiatives like this, stating: “catch4climate is an impressive project that demonstrates the kind of technological innovation being developed in Baden-Württemberg. Our companies are proving that they take climate targets seriously, are actively advancing decarbonization, and are committed to finding solutions.”

Cement production inherently generates process-related CO₂ emissions that cannot be fully eliminated, even through the use of alternative energy sources. Carbon capture technologies are therefore indispensable.

Four Partners, One Goal: Reducing CO₂ Emissions in the Cement Industry

The four shareholder companies joined forces in 2019 to establish the research company CI4C GmbH & Co. KG and jointly realize the flagship project “catch4climate.” With investments exceeding €120 million, a dedicated rotary kiln line was built at the Mergelstetten cement plant. The line has a clinker production capacity of 450 metric tons per day and is the first to use the Pure Oxyfuel process for carbon capture, developed by thyssenkrupp Polysius. The facility is dedicated exclusively to research and development, and no public funding was used for its construction.

“catch4climate provides the foundation for gaining critical technological insights into carbon capture in the cement industry. Minister-President Özdemir’s visit demonstrates just how important this topic is for the future of our industry and for achieving our climate objectives,” said Jürgen Thormann, Technical Managing Director of CI4C GmbH & Co. KG.

The Pure Oxyfuel Process as a Key Technology

Conventional combustion processes use air as the oxygen source in the rotary kiln. The Pure Oxyfuel process replaces air with pure oxygen, creating a highly concentrated CO₂ stream that enables efficient carbon capture.

Significant milestones have already been achieved during the facility’s first months of operation. At the end of May 2026, the plant successfully produced its first clinker, followed by the first oxygen injection in early June. After operating the kiln in 100% oxyfuel mode on July 22, 2026, the project team achieved another major milestone the very next day by capturing high-purity CO₂ in the form of dry ice in the downstream Carbon Purification Unit (CPU). This successfully demonstrated the functionality of carbon capture under oxyfuel operating conditions. The results provide valuable insights for further advancing the technology and preparing it for future industrial deployment. Additional test campaigns are planned over the coming years to evaluate and further optimize the process under a variety of operating conditions.

The knowledge gained through the project will help advance carbon capture technologies for industrial application and lay the foundation for future large-scale deployment. In the long term, the Pure Oxyfuel process is expected to enable the efficient capture of CO₂, allowing it to be either permanently stored or reused as a feedstock for other industrial processes. In doing so, the project contributes to reducing the unavoidable process-related CO₂ emissions generated by cement production.

Photos: Patrick Vöhringer