In the presence of Milena Stoycheva, Bulgaria’s Minister of Innovation and Growth, and representatives of Heidelberg Materials and the local community, the start of construction for the pilot carbon capture installation was celebrated at Heidelberg Materials’ plant in Devnya. The ANRAV.beta unit is a key next step in the implementation of the company’s large-scale ANRAV project in Bulgaria, which was announced in early 2023. As the first full-chain CCUS project in Eastern Europe, ANRAV will eventually cover carbon capture, transport, and geological storage as well as utilisation.
OxyCal is an innovative carbon capture technology based on the addition of pure oxygen to the clinker burning process. The result is a CO₂-rich flue gas with a high degree of purity that can be reused or safely stored. The new pilot at the Devnya plant will not only prove the efficiency of the technology, but also its scalability to ANRAV CCUS and other projects of the Group such as Anthemis in Belgium. The demonstration period is expected to last 12 to 24 months.
ANRAV is the first full-chain CCUS project in Eastern Europe. Subject to regulatory and permitting aspects, it could start operation as early as 2028, with a capturing capacity of 800,000 t CO₂ p.a. It is also the first project in the region to receive support from the EU Innovation Fund, amounting to €190 million. The implementation of the project will unlock the potential of CCUS in Bulgaria and contribute significantly to CO₂ emission reduction at the national level.
