UK-based carbon capture technology provider Nuada has announced the launch of its pilot plant operation at Buzzi Unicem's cement facility in Monselice, Italy. Buzzi is trialling Nuada’s advanced carbon capture technology as a solution to produce low-carbon cement, leading the way in cement industry decarbonisation.
This pilot project marks a milestone in carbon capture innovation, demonstrating the performance of Nuada's next-generation technology within a cement manufacturing setting. Nuada has developed an energy-efficient carbon capture solution by combining advanced solid sorbents named metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with a mature vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) process. This innovative, electrically-powered system separates CO2 from industrial flue gases using pressure instead of heat and offers a promising approach to overcoming the energy, cost, and integration challenges associated with deploying traditional carbon capture solutions in industry.
"We are deploying the most energy-efficient carbon capture technology developed to date, a solution that redefines the decarbonisation landscape for hard-to-abate sectors like cement,” said Dr Conor Hamill, co-CEO of Nuada. Dr Jose Casaban, co-CEO of Nuada, added "This plant demonstrates the robustness, scalability and game-changing benefits of our innovative capture system. Together with Buzzi, we are demonstrating the future of carbon capture in cement.”
This MOF-based VPSA carbon capture plant is fully operational now, capturing 1tpd tonne of CO2 from cement flue gas. The project is backed by the Global Concrete and Cement Association (GCCA) and was initiated through GCCA’s Innovandi Open Challenge programme.
Pilot trials at Buzzi Unicem's cement facility in Monselice, Italy
