About Co2llect
Innovation Fund: Grant agreement for CO2LLECT signed
On March 7, 2025, the EU and Cemex signed the so-called “Grant Agreement” for the funding of the largest CCS project in the global Cemex Group, called “CO2LLECT”. At the same time, with a planned capture volume of 1.3 million metric tons of CO₂ per year, it is also the largest CCS project in eastern Germany. The funding is provided by the Innovation Fund. This fund is financed by the revenue stream from emission certificates and reinvests the money in innovative projects for CO₂ reduction. The impressive funding sum for CO2LLECT amounts to a total of 157 million euros. The project period runs from 2025 to 2030. The successful application supports the prospect of long-term stability for the Rüdersdorf cement plant.
What is CO2LLECT?
A CO₂ capture and storage (CCS) pilot project at Cemex’s Ruedersdorf cement plant, Eastern Germany. In partnership with Linde, CO2LLECT aims to capture approximately 1.3 million metric tons of CO₂ annually once operations begin.
01 Timeline:
02 Technology: Linde HISORP® CC
A cutting-edge adsorptive-cryogenic process, which isolates CO₂ from the flue gas stream.
03 Project Goal
To capture 1.3 million tons of CO₂ annually and set a new standard for low-carbon cement production in Europe.
Project description
CO2LLECT
CO2LLECT is a gigantic transformation project for CO₂ capture at the Ruedersdorf cement plant. Within the project, Cemex is working with Linde as an external partner. Linde, a leading global industrial gases and engineering company, specializes in CO₂ capture technology and is expected to build, own and operate a carbon capture and liquefaction plant at the Rüdersdorf cement plant site.
The new plant aims to capture, liquefy and purify around 1.3 million tons of CO₂ from cement production every year. The liquid CO₂ will then be loaded into specially manufactured tank wagons and transported by rail to an intermediate CO₂ hub before being shipped to an offshore storage facility in the North Sea.
In addition to reducing emissions, CO2LLECT will aim to implement environmentally sustainable solutions related to energy and water:
- The CO₂ capture plant is partially powered by regional electricity generated by wind turbines and solar panels.
- Purifies exhaust condensate to release clean water into Lake Stienitz
- The CO₂ capture plant adds more water to Lake Stienitz through the condensation of water vapor from the exhaust gas than the cement plant withdraws for its operations.
Linde’s employed state-of-the-art HISORP® CC technology is an adsorptive cryogenic separation process that captures the exhaust gas directly at the source of emission. The gases are treated by means of pressure changes, temperature adjustments and adsorption agents until pure, liquid CO2 is isolated.
The liquid CO2 is first stored in intermediate containers and then loaded into special railway tank cars. As Cemex has a rail freight connection, transporting the liquefied CO2 by train is currently the most sensible solution. The existing active railway line, which runs north from the plant, is used for this purpose. The railway line passes Rüdersdorf and goes through Petershagen-Eggersdorf onto the DB Fredersdorf-Biesdorfer Kreuz line. From there, the liquid CO2 is transported to the German coast. The rail transport itself will be carried out by a rail transport company. Two block trains, each with 36 wagons, will be transported to the coast and returned empty to Rüdersdorf every day.
Rail transport will hopefully serve as a temporary solution until a CO2 pipeline infrastructure is in place in the region.
The tank wagons for transport are being newly manufactured and must meet special requirements. The transport of CO2 is classified as a class 2.3 dangerous goods transport. This is because the gas is transported at low temperatures and under high pressure. The tanks are marked with orange stripes. The wagons are protected against accidents and external influences by insulation, sensors and digital monitoring. There are also nationally and internationally prescribed safety procedures.
At the port, the CO2 is transferred from the rail tank cars to a ship and transported to a storage site, where the CO2 is injected below the seabed. Currently, approved storage sites are located under the seabed in the Netherlands, Great Britain and Scandinavia. These countries use either porous rock formations, such as sandstone, to store the CO2 or old oil and natural gas deposits. Norway, for example, has 25 years of experience with this process already.
The project is complemented by plans to partially use regional electricity generated from renewable energy sources, as well as a sustainable recycling system for the water recovered from exhaust gas condensate. What makes CO2LLECT special is that part of the exhaust gas stream, which would otherwise escape in gaseous form through the chimney, is liquefied and converted into water. This process water is purified in a wastewater treatment plant and processed to such a high standard that it meets the purity criteria for discharge into Lake Stienitz. This makes the Rüdersdorf cement plant water-positive, i.e. it discharges more water into the lake than it extracts.
Overall, CO2LLECT requires a lot of energy. With the separation plant, the cement plant needs three times as much energy as it does today. To meet this demand, CO2LLECT is dependent on new energy supplies, including both regional renewable energy and a medium-term grid expansion.