The Southern Highlands could soon be home to a carbon-capture plant after a $30 million dollar grant from the Federal Government was unveiled on Monday (May 16).
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In conjunction with technology company Calix, Boral will explore a feasibility of developing the facility in the Highlands.
Boral, who create construction materials such as concrete, have three facilities in Moss Vale, Berrima and Braemar.
When up and running, Boral said they expect the plant to operate on a commercial scale and capture and compress up to 100 kilo-tonnes per annum of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions that are a byproduct of decomposing limestone in cement manufacturing.
In fact, cement manufacturing worldwide contributes to seven percent of the planet's total CO2 emissions.
The Calix technology seeks to re-purpose a traditional calciner, used to process materials at high temperatures, and indirectly heat the limestone via a special steel vessel to release CO2 and capture it.
Upon announcing the study, Boral Chief Operating Officer Darren Schulz said the company had to find a way to make their products more sustainable with the proposed plant central to that strategy.
"This is game changing technology for our industry and will play a critical role in supporting customers' sustainability targets," he said.
"Together, Boral and Calix have access to the required infrastructure, technology and operational expertise required to deliver this project and lead the way in reducing emissions across the industry.
"By modernising Australia's cement industry, we are enabling the growth of lower carbon construction materials, which are essential to jobs and local economies.
"I want to thank the Government for their support and understanding the need to transform the management of emissions in cement manufacturing.
"If successful, we believe this project will enable the national rollout of carbon capture technology to Australia's cement and lime industry creating smarter and more sustainable solutions for our customers."
The first phase of the project will involve a detailed commercial model and pilot design which will assess the engineering and commercial viability of the project by approximately June 2023.
Would you like to see more climate change innovations in the Highlands or simply have an opinion on the proposed carbon capture plant? You can email me at dominic.unwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
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