Holcim breaks ground on GO4ZERO plant

Holcim has broken ground on its state-of-the-art GO4ZERO plant in Obourg, Belgium. The plant, which marks an investment of more than EUR500m, is expected to produce 2Mta of net-zero cement by 2029. 

According to Holcim, the GO4ZERO project transforms cement manufacturing at every stage of the process. Accelerating decarbonised energy use, more than 95 per cent of its energy will be sourced from alternative fuels, while over 30 per cent of its raw mix will come from partly decarbonised alternative raw materials – predominantly waste generated by other industries, thereby advancing circularity.

As a result, the plant will cut CO₂ emissions by 30 per cent as early as 2027, and it will also operate Europe’s largest installation of floating solar panels. Holcim is partnering with Air Liquide on the project with EUR230m in support from the Innovation Fund, which is financed by revenues from the EU Emissions Trading System. 

Commenting on the new plant, Miljan Gutovic, CEO Holcim Group, said, “By advancing decarbonisation as a driver of profitable growth, Holcim is on course to make net-zero cement and concrete a reality at scale this decade. GO4ZERO is one of our six large-scale, European Union-supported carbon capture, utilisation and storage projects. These aim to capture a total of over 5Mt of CO₂ per annum, enabling us to offer over 8Mt of fully decarbonised cement each year across Europe by 2030.”