Holcim Takes Strategic Stake in Capsol Technologies to Advance Carbon Capture

Cement and building materials producer Holcim has made a strategic investment in Capsol Technologies, a publicly listed Norwegian company specialising in post-combustion carbon capture using hot potassium carbonate solvent technology. The investment supports Holcim's pledge to invest CHF 2 billion in carbon capture technologies by 2030 and to capture more than 5 million tonnes of CO2 per year.

Founded in 2014, Capsol has developed a post-combustion carbon capture and heat recovery system using hot potassium carbonate solvent technology to remove CO2 from industrial gas streams. The cement sector accounts for around 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions, with more than 900 kilograms of CO2 emitted for every 1,000 kilograms of cement produced, making it one of the most difficult industries to decarbonise. Holcim announced a series of commitments in 2023, including a target to reduce Scope 1 emissions per tonne of cementitious material by more than 22% by 2030.

The investment expands Holcim's portfolio of decarbonisation technologies as it pursues its near-zero cement strategy. Capsol's technology is applicable broadly across post-combustion carbon capture scenarios, making it relevant beyond cement to other hard-to-abate industrial sectors. Holcim's Head of Operational Excellence said the combination of the company's cement manufacturing expertise with Capsol's technology creates an additional pathway to decarbonise while supporting profitable growth.

Holcim's carbon capture ambitions are among the most concrete in the global cement industry. Achieving 5 million tonnes of annual CO2 capture would represent a significant contribution to the sector's decarbonisation, and the investment in Capsol reflects a strategy of building a diversified portfolio of capture technologies rather than relying on a single approach. The collaboration is expected to advance the deployment of Capsol's technology at Holcim's production sites, helping the company to produce near-zero cement at scale.

Key figure — CHF 2 billion