Germany’s economy minister Habeck said the German government supports Norway in its attempt to capture carbon and re-use it in cement industry. Habeck’s remarks come during his visit to Norway’s Norcem cement plant and represents Germany’s policy towards capturing carbon and making use of it in industrial processes, which is called carbon capture, utility and storage (CCUS).

CCUS projects are still in their early phases as issues of cost and environmental opposition remain. Environmentalists have been concerned that CCUS projects can serve to prolong use of fossil fuels.

Germany has ramped up efforts in the area as climate change problems have become more urgent. Focus has shifted to dealing with the emissions that are hardest to avoid, while boosting the use of renewable energy.

As cement-making inevitably emits carbon, its capture is necessary to mitigate pollution, and the Norwegian plant is meant to serve as a global blueprint, eventually capturing 400,000 tonnes of CO2 – half its emissions – per year.

Norway is providing 85% of the €400 million for Norcem, which is a subsidiary of Germany’s HeidelbergMaterials, to set up a carbon capture facility that should allow storage of CO2 under the seabed near the Brevik site in about two years’ time.

“CCUS is the key technology to decarbonise our product and eventually our sector,” HeidelbergMaterials CEO von Achten said in a statement.

Globally, HeidelbergMaterials is investing €1.5 billion in CCUS technology up to 2030.

Germany aims to cut 65% of carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 compared with 1990 and to become carbon-neutral by 2045.