Holcim, a leading building materials company, has partnered with carbon sequestration technology firm 44.01 to launch a pilot project in the United Arab Emirates focused on capturing, permanently storing, and mineralising carbon dioxide from cement production. Cement manufacturing is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for approximately 8% of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide, with over 900 kg of CO2 emitted per 1,000 kg of cement produced.
44.01, established in Oman in 2020, offers solutions to eliminate CO2 captured from the air or hard-to-abate industrial processes by transforming it into rock. The company’s technology accelerates the natural process of CO2 mineralisation by dissolving captured CO2 in water to create an acidic solution that mobilises cations within rock, which then react with the CO2 to mineralise it. This fluid is injected deep underground, where high pressure, temperature, and CO2 concentration facilitate rapid mineralisation.
The pilot project, based in Fujairah, intends to capture five tonnes of CO2 daily from cement production, storing it in local rock formations where it is expected to mineralise. This initiative is claimed to be the first globally to integrate cement-derived CO2 with in-situ mineralisation at an industrial site.
Ali Said, CEO of Holcim in the UAE and Oman, stated, “This project demonstrates how innovation and collaboration can accelerate progress toward net zero. This pilot to decarbonise our cement plant is another example of how we are building progress for people and the planet. Our partnership with 44.01 reinforces our shared commitment to pioneering sustainable solutions and showcases what is possible when industry leaders work together to drive meaningful, scalable impact.”
Supported by the Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation and executed with NT Energies, the project will utilise Shell’s CANSOLV carbon capture technology. For Holcim, the pilot aligns with its NextGen Growth 2030 strategy to scale low-carbon technologies across the construction sector and supports the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 pathway. For 44.01, it represents its first collaboration with an industrial customer and a European multinational, expanding its pipeline as it seeks to scale mineralisation projects in key markets.
The companies assert that the project underscores the potential of collaboration between technology developers, local authorities, and industry to unlock new permanent carbon-reduction pathways in the region. Talal Hasan, CEO of 44.01, remarked, “This partnership shows that industrial companies can play a leading role in permanent carbon removal. We are demonstrating a practical and scalable path to decarbonisation that can be replicated worldwide.”
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