Cement as a building material causes around eight percent of global CO₂ emissions – more than global air traffic. The German DAX-listed company Heidelberg Materials is one of the largest cement manufacturers in Europe and therefore also one of the largest emitters. But the company wants to reinvent itself: In Brevik (Norway), the first industrial CO₂ capture plant at a cement factory in Europe has now been put into operation. The aim: to capture emissions, liquefy them and store them safely under the seabed.

By Jan Nintemann and Jochen Siegle | Photo: Oliver Ulerich Unsplash

CEO Dominik von Achten emphasizes that the transition to climate neutrality is not an excuse for “business as usual”. Instead, the company is focusing on real transformation and on technologies that reduce emissions in the long term – not just offset them. In Brevik, around 400,000 tons of CO₂ are captured and stored under the North Sea every year.

CO₂ capture as the key to decarbonization?

The development costs are high: the project cost 400 million euros, over 80 percent of which was covered by the Norwegian state. In the long term, such technologies should also become economically viable. The Brevik cement is already sold out for the current year – despite the higher price. This is because climate-friendly cement is a strategic component for building owners who want to save CO₂.

Europe as a driver of sustainable industry

Europe is facing the question: How can industry be decarbonized without risking competitive disadvantages? CO₂ capture offers a bridging technology for emission-intensive sectors. In Germany, the technology is still politically controversial – but the pressure is growing. Companies such as Heidelberg Materials are demonstrating that a climate-neutral industry is not only possible, but also economically feasible.

TransformIT Europe: Platform for sustainable innovation

This is exactly where the TransformIT Europe Expo and Conference Hub comes in: The Europe-wide event connects players from industry, research, politics and greentech and climatetech companies. The aim is to make innovative technologies visible, promote regulatory debates and forge alliances for sustainable digitalization.

Especially in complex industries such as cement production, Europe-wide solutions are needed – for example for CO₂ storage, the construction of pipelines or joint certificate models. TransformIT Europe offers the exchange space that is now needed more urgently than ever.

Digital solutions for real problems

Digitalization also plays a central role: from the digital CO₂ token that Heidelberg Materials now offers to the intelligent control of supply chains and construction site logistics. This shows how ClimateTech and Digital Innovation can intertwine.

Conclusion: Greentech needs clear framework conditions

Whether climate-friendly concrete, CO₂ storage or green software solutions – Europe’s economy needs a regulatory framework that enables transformation instead of preventing it. This is the only way greentech innovations can scale. The task is huge – but so are the opportunities for sustainable growth.