CLEANKER is a project funded by Horizon2020 addressing CO2 capture from cement production. The core activity of the project is the design, construction and operation of a Calcium Looping demonstration system in the cement plant operated by Buzzi Unicem sited in Vernasca (Piacenza, Italy).

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 764816

Starting date: October 1st 2017
Project duration: 48 months
Budget: € 9.237.851,25
EU contribution: € 8.972.201,25
Number of partners: 13
Coordinator: Laboratory of Energy and Environment of Piacenza – LEAP scarl

The cement industry is a key-sector for the reduction of CO2 emissions. CO2 generation in cement production processes in fact, cannot be disregarded due to the calcination of limestone (CaCO3 dissociated to CaO and CO2), the most important raw material. According to IEA and ZEP studies, cement industry should contribute to the largest CO2 emission reduction through CCS in Europe, in order to meet the target of 2°C of global temperature increase (IEA ‘2DS scenario’).

CLEANKER is coordinated by LEAP and integrates 13 research organizations from seven countries: five representatives from the academia, three research centres, one SME, one technology provider, two end users and one environmental organization.

CLEANKER aims at demonstrating at TRL7 the Calcium Looping (CaL) concept, one of the most promising technologies for CO2 capture in cement plants, in a configuration highly integrated with the cement production process, making use of entrained flow reactors. The CLEANKER core activity is the design, construction and operation of a CaL demonstration system that will capture the CO2 from a portion of the flue gas of the cement plant in Vernasca (Italy) operated by Buzzi Unicem, using as CO2 sorbent the same raw meal used for clinker production.

CLEANKER website: www.cleanker.eu

CLEANKER – CLEAN clinKER production by calcium looping process

CLEANKER – CLEAN clinKER production by calcium looping process