The joint Lehigh Edmonton CCS Feasibility Study established by Lehigh Hanson Materials Limited (Lehigh) and the International CCS Knowledge Centre (Knowledge Centre) has been completed and the full report is now available on Emissions Reduction Alberta's website.
For a quick overview of the feasibility study read the article: Commercial-Scale Carbon Capture on Cement – Positive Feasibility for Edmonton & the World.
The main deliverable of the feasibility study was an Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering (AACE) Class 4 cost estimate to assist Lehigh in determining the economic viability of a potential CCS retrofit project capturing up to 780,000 tonnes/year of carbon dioxide (CO2). This study concluded that amine post-combustion capture technology can capture up to 95% of the CO2 from both the flue gas emitted from the cement plant and from the auxiliary steam boiler required to provide energy for the carbon capture process.
Proving that carbon capture can be applied to cement production supports the drive to create low carbon footprint cement products that serve as sustainable building materials. With the global demand for cement expected to increase by 12-23% by 2050, the positive results of this feasibility study are pivotal for the cement sector.
Objectives of Lehigh CCS Feasibility Study
Phase I — Pre-feasibility Study
- The pre-feasibility study was conducted by the Knowledge Centre in collaboration with Lehigh.
- The objectives of this phase include: to source capture proponents through an evaluative request for proposals process; define out-of-scope activities to be conducted by appropriate engineering support teams, scaled-estimates of costs, schedule and budget for Phase II.
- Status: completed
Phase II — Feasibility Study
- The feasibility study is being conducted in collaboration of Lehigh and the Knowledge Centre.
- The objectives of the feasibility study include: to deliver a cost estimate of Class Four feasibility study; to secure one or more capture vendors to provide engineering design tailored to the Lehigh plant; to manage the process and engage third parties, as necessary; to complete a detailed business case; and to develop the budget for Front End Engineering Study (FEED).
- Status: completed; full report to be released soon
Phase III — FEED and Execution
- Following the completion of the feasibility study, a FEED Study would provide detailed engineering design and integration to Class Three estimate and finalize the business case for final investment decision.
- Staus: anticipated to commence soon
The feasibility study had a budget of $3 million (M) and was made possible through funding from Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) investing $1.4M, as well as funding from Lehigh with contributions by the Knowledge Centre.
Partner Information
Lehigh Cement (Lehigh) and the International CCS Knowledge Centre (Knowledge Centre) along with funder Emissions Reduction Alberta announced a joint feasibility study on November 28, 2019 of a full-scale large-scale carbon capture & storage (CCS) project.
Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) is investing $1.4M in the feasibility study. ERA invests the proceeds from the carbon price paid by emitters to develop and demonstrate innovative technology that reduces GHG emissions and strengthens the competitiveness of new and existing industries in Alberta.
HeidelbergCement — Lehigh's parent company — is one of the world’s largest building materials companies. At the heart of its core environmental policies is climate change protection. The company has committed to a 30 per cent reduction in its CO2 emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.