Heidelberg Materials has changed the concept for CO₂ transport and storage as part of the ANRAV decarbonisation project at the Devnya cement plant in Bulgaria. The company has opted for local underground CO₂ storage close to the plant instead of the initially considered option of injection under the Black Sea.
Earlier, we reported that Heidelberg Materials continues testing the ANRAV.beta system at the Devnya cement plant. During the trials, the system successfully operated on 100% alternative fuels and generated a gas stream with high CO₂ content, ready for compression and purification. It was also reported that the system is planned to be commissioned in 2028, with most of the captured CO₂ expected to be stored in depleted gas fields in the Black Sea near Varna.
Under the updated approach, Heidelberg Materials has revised the downstream part of the project related to CO₂ transport and storage. The decision is driven by the need to optimise downstream decarbonisation costs, as CO₂ transport and storage costs can be as high as the capture costs.
In the initial concept, captured CO₂ from the plant near Varna was expected to be transported to offshore storage sites of an oil and gas company and injected under the Black Sea. In the latest approach, Heidelberg Materials plans to use a 20 km pipeline and an underground reservoir close to the cement plant.
The company expects this approach to significantly reduce CO₂ transport and storage costs in the ANRAV project.
