Germany: CI4C, the consortium comprising cement producers Dyckerhoff, Heidelberg Materials, Schwenk Zement and Vicat, has officially inaugurated its oxyfuel carbon capture project at the Mergelstetten cement plant. Vicat said that the ‘catch4climate’ project had been seven years in the making. The oxyfuel process was designed by thyssenkrupp Polysius and the project received private investments of more than €120m, with a 450t/day rotary kiln line built at the plant. The facility is reportedly the first to use the ‘pure oxyfuel’ process for carbon capture and is dedicated exclusively to research and development. More than 200 guests attended the event, including Baden-Württemberg’s Minister for the Environment Thekla Walker.
The project had already reached important milestones: At the end of May 2026, clinker was successfully produced for the first time. In mid-June 2026, the first supply of oxygen to the facility took place.
