Building on the strategic partnership announced last year, Holcim (earlier Lafarge Emirates Cement) has, in partnership with carbon storage innovator 44.01, achieved a major milestone in industrial decarbonisation by putting into operation a continuous carbon capture and underground mineralisation pilot at a cement facility in Fujairah, thus marking a first for the UAE's cement industry.
A global leader in sustainable construction sector headquartered in Switzerland, Holcim boasts operations across 45 markets worldwide, offering products ranging from low-carbon cement to advanced roofing and building solutions.
Following its official Commissioning Day, Holcim UAE said the facility has been fully operational since July 15, capturing CO₂ directly from the flue gas of Holcim's Fujairah Cement Plant, designed to capture 4 to 4.5 tonnes of CO₂ daily.
The captured CO₂ is transported to 44.01's mineralisation site, where it is injected deep underground into Fujairah's naturally occurring ultramafic rock formations, undergoing mineralization into solid carbonate rock through an accelerated natural process that provides a permanent, local carbon storage solution, it stated.
According to Holcim, the successful operation of the pilot was made possible through strong public-private collaboration, supported by key partners including Fujairah Natural Resources Corporation, Fujairah Environment Authority, NT Energies and Gulf Cryo.
On the key milestone, Ali Said, the CEO of Holcim UAE & Oman, said: "When we announced this partnership, we set out to prove that industrial decarbonisation is not a far-off goal, but an immediate reality. Achieving full-time capture and mineralisation at our Fujairah plant is an important step forward."
"Delivering on Holcim's NextGen Growth strategy, we are leading industrial decarbonization in the UAE by bringing scalable, sustainable, and innovative solutions to market. Through our active carbon capture and mineralization efforts, we are permanently storing carbon and creating in-country value, sustainability, and circularity into the foundation of the built environment. Deep cross-industry partnerships remain vital to accelerating the UAE's 2050 Net Zero target," he added.
This operational milestone marks the transition of the project from a pioneering concept to a proven, real-world decarbonisation solution.
By demonstrating the complete carbon management cycle, from capture and specialised transport to permanent in-situ mineralisation under live industrial conditions, the initiative showcases a practical and scalable pathway to reducing emissions in hard-to-abate sectors.
Over the next six months, the pilot will continue generating critical operational insights to validate the scalability and commercial potential of permanent carbon storage.
Holcim UAE said beyond its technological achievement, the project highlights the power of local collaboration and cross-industry partnerships in accelerating the emirates' decarbonisation agenda and supporting its Net Zero 2050 ambitions.
At the same time, it establishes a global benchmark for the cement industry, contributing to Holcim's broader portfolio of pioneering CCUS initiatives and demonstrating a replicable model for industrial carbon reduction worldwide, it added.
Talal Hasan, Founder and CEO of 44.01, said: "This Fujairah project demonstrates what 44.01 is building: real projects that deliver safe, permanent CO₂ storage locally. By integrating our in-situ mineralisation technology with Holcim’s live cement operations, we are proving that permanent carbon storage can be deployed today to decarbonise an industrial site."
"This milestone supports the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 vision while also establishing a scalable model that can be replicated across diverse industries and geological settings worldwide," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
