The Go4ECOPlanet project is crucial for any company that is considering the implementation of CCS technologies. In the long term, the entire industry will benefit, as it will need to be able to mass-produce low-carbon solutions after 2030.
In early April this year, experts from Holcim Poland participated in a series of events dedicated to CO2 capture and storage technologies, which are becoming a hot topic in energy-intensive industries. The events included the 2nd Carbon Capture Congress in Poznań. Radosław Gnutek, Carbon Capture and Storage Project Director, took part in the expert debate Leaders’ Forum I – The Future of CCUS in Poland, where he shared his insights on the implementation of Go4ECOPlanet and practical tips on solutions that will enable a large-scale rollout of this technology.
'The Holcim project is an example of practical and effective action to support energy security through the use of technologies based on solutions that can be replicated in the cement industry, as well as other industries. CCS is currently the only technology that can eliminate process emissions from energy-intensive industries. In order to support it and take advantage of economies of scale, it is necessary, among other things, to develop a formula and implement contracts for difference similar to those used for renewable energy sources,’ says Radosław Gnutek.
Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfD) are currently used in Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, among other countries, and involve the conclusion of an agreement between a company and the state for a specific future price of CO2 emission allowances. The aim of the fixed allowance price mechanism is to support investment in technologies by providing investors with a predictable and stable level of income.
During the congress, Krzysztof Bolesta, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Climate and Environment, discussed the ministry's strategy in the area of CCS/U, which is based on four pillars: developing a comprehensive legal framework, creating support mechanisms, dialogue with the market and public acceptance.
It was announced that the draft bill prepared by the Ministry of Climate and Environment will include simplifications and support instruments. These will help speed up administrative procedures and create mechanisms dedicated to facilitate pioneering installations. The bill will also include procedures for the verification and supervision of strategic CCS/U projects.
For years, the Kujawy Cement Plant has been consistently reducing its CO2 emissions by using alternative fuels and decarbonised raw materials for cement production. Currently, the Go4ECOPlanet project is attracting investment in the CO2 chain and supporting the creation of an ecosystem around carbon capture and storage. The technology, now implemented at the cement plant, can be replicated in other energy-intensive industries, which will bring down the costs of subsequent roll-outs.
Polish industry generates approximately 22% of the country's GDP and is responsible for 25% of all domestic CO2 emissions. The rising prices of fossil fuel energy and the carbon footprint costs are forcing an urgent modernisation of industry. CCS/U technologies are coming to the rescue, enabling the elimination of process emissions in energy-intensive industries. How to overcome regulatory and financial barriers by entering into partnerships and searching for new ways of using these technologies was the topic of discussion during the Ministerial Session in Poznań on 9 April 2025 as part of Net Zero Energy, a conference and exhibition event dedicated to energy transition.
CCS is an opportunity to increase the competitiveness of the cement industry in Poland in the light of the phase-out of the free emission rights under the ETS system, and Poland is currently the third largest cement producer in Europe. That is why Holcim (formerly Lafarge) has undertaken a unique global project to create an infrastructure capable of capturing 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year from the kiln flue gases during clinker production.
Holcim is currently implementing a unique project on a global scale – a zero-emission cement plant. Using CCS technology, the cement plant in Kujawy will soon capture 100% of carbon dioxide emissions. Maciej Sypek, President of Holcim Polska, talks about the investment worth over 300 million euros in an interview for ESG Trends.
During a meeting with stakeholders from the Świętokrzyskie and Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodships that was held on 12 September, Holcim Polska summarised its environmental activities and investment projects. The Environment Day was also attended by a representative of the Marshal's Office in Kielce from the Department of Agriculture, Climate and the Environment, who touched on the development of circular economy in the region.
‘We are focusing on reducing our carbon dioxide emissions. As a result, over the past 20 years we have halved our CO2 emissions from 800 kg to 400 kg per tonne of cement. In addition, we will have implemented a modern carbon capture technology by 2030,’ said President of Holcim Polska Maciej Sypek, PhD, during the 33rd Economic Forum in Karpacz, Poland (3-5 September 2024).
In its expectations of businesses, the EU repeats 'zero net emissions' like a mantra. Holcim is taking up this challenge. As a result, the Kujawy Cement Plant may become the first full ydecarbonised construction materials plant in Poland. Jolanta Zdunowska, Technical Director of Carbon Capture and Storage Projects at Holcim Polska, talks about the PLN 2-bln investment project.
The first zero-emission cement plant in Europe is to be built in 2027 in Poland, in the Kujawy region. Holcim is in the process of implementing the GO4ECOPLANET project, under which 100 percent of the carbon dioxide produced by Cementownia Kujawy will be captured.
The Kujawy Go4ECOPlanet project, which aims to capture 100 percent of CO2 emissions in Kujawy Cement Plant, enters the next stage.
