Electrification of lime-based industries

The vision of CreELLIBS is carbon neutral lime and cement industry enabled by electrically heated calcination technology. Energy-intensive lime-based process industry accounts for a substantial amount of CO₂ emissions both globally and nationally. Current CO₂ capture processes for lime-based industries are energy and capital-intensive. The energy-related emissions from lime-based industry caused by combustion of fuels can be avoided by powering the calcination reaction with electric heating. Electric heating also enables the unavoidable process carbon dioxide to exit the kiln in over 90 % concentration and to be cost-effectively captured and purified.

Objective of project is to build a consortium and structure for a Co-Innovation project in which industrial feasibility of the electrified technologies is proved and a plan for commercial scale electrified calcination kiln for lime-based industries is created.Potential of other industrial processes to be electrified is also assessed during the project. To scale the electrified technologies to commercial size, research is needed in energy-efficiency, operational environment and scalability aspects of the technology. VTT will collaborate with companies throughout the value chain, including electricity market actors and grid service providers, technology suppliers, and lime-based material producers.