Our partnerships

Carrying out a large-scale project like GO4ZERO requires the mobilization and coordination of a wide range of skills. Achieving this entails indispensable collaboration between the public and private sectors, spanning a spectrum of activities ranging from defining environmental goals and technical advancements to securing financing and obtaining the necessary permits. 

The selection of optimal equipment for dust removal, gas purification, water treatment and reuse, and heat recovery is a product of ongoing collaboration with regulatory bodies and extensive engagement with industrial equipment suppliers. GO4ZERO has thus established itself as a technological showcase for Wallonia and a frontrunner in Europe's efforts towards decarbonizing the cement industry. 

Holcim will rely on Air Liquide's to capture CO2 emitted from the GO4ZERO furnace. Specifically engineered to operate with pure oxygen instead of ambient air, the furnace achieves an impressive concentration of CO2 exceeding 80% in the chimney emissions. This heightened concentration is pivotal for subsequent capture and purification processes. Following this, the CO2 undergoes purification in a cryogenic carbon treatment unit (CPU), achieving a remarkable purity of 99%. The purified CO2 is then transported by pipeline to the liquefaction facilities in the ports, and loaded onto specialized ships for transport at very low temperatures to the sequestration wells in the North Sea. 

On the institutional level, Europe plays a key role in the GO4ZERO project in several respects. It provides the regulation for the market in which the project operates, establishing essential legislative frameworks. These include the CO2 Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and, more recently, the border carbon adjustment mechanism. The latter is aimed at ensuring parity among nations or companies with varying levels of environmental commitment, thereby fostering a fair and equitable playing field. 

Furthermore, Europe provides significant financial support through two main funds: 

• The Innovation Fund, which supports the ambitions of the Green Deal by including a significant industrial component. Recognizing its pioneering nature, GO4ZERO was honored as the flagship decarbonization project for 2023. Together with Air Liquide, it benefits from substantial funding to cover the additional operating costs and specific investments required for CO2 capture and sequestration. 
• Download here the GO4ZERO project factsheet from the European Commission's Innovation Fund. 
• GO4ZERO is also a candidate for a contribution from the Just Transition Fund, which aims to support the environmental transition of traditional businesses in regions facing significant socio-economic difficulties.