Minister-President Cem Özdemir learns about the “catch4climate” CO₂ research project

Visit by the Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg highlights the importance of CO₂ capture technologies for industrial transformation.

Mergelstetten, 03 August 2026 – On 31 July 2026, the Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg, Cem Özdemir, visited the research and development facility of CI4C GmbH & Co. KG in Heidenheim-Mergelstetten. The visit focused on discussions regarding the role of innovative CO₂ capture technologies in the transformation of energy-intensive industries and in supporting the climate protection goals of the Paris Agreement.

Just a few weeks after the official inauguration of the world’s first research and development facility for CO₂ capture using the Pure Oxyfuel process, the Minister-President was able to see the project’s current progress first-hand. The facility is operated by the research company CI4C GmbH & Co. KG, which is backed by the four European cement manufacturers Buzzi/Dyckerhoff, Heidelberg Materials, SCHWENK Zement and Vicat.

During a tour of the facility, Özdemir learned about the technological foundations of the project, the operational experience gained to date, and the significance of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) for the decarbonisation of the cement industry. He emphasised the importance of such initiatives, stating: “catch4climate is an impressive project that demonstrates the technological innovations being developed in Baden-Württemberg. Our companies are proving that they take climate targets seriously, are actively driving decarbonization, and are seeking practical solutions.”

The production of cement generates process-related CO₂ emissions that cannot be completely avoided, even through the use of alternative energy sources. CO₂ capture technologies are therefore indispensable.

Four partners, one goal: reducing CO₂ emissions in the cement industry

The four shareholder companies joined forces in 2019 to establish the research company CI4C GmbH & Co. KG and jointly realise the flagship project “catch4climate”. Through investments exceeding €120 million, a dedicated rotary kiln line with a clinker production capacity of 450 tonnes per day was built at the cement plant in Mergelstetten. The facility is the first to use the Pure Oxyfuel process developed by thyssenkrupp Polysius for CO₂ capture and is dedicated exclusively to research and development. No public funding was used.

“With catch4climate, we are creating the basis for important technological insights into CO₂ capture in the cement industry. The visit of Minister-President Özdemir highlights how relevant this topic is for the future of our industry in the context of climate protection,” says Jürgen Thormann, Technical Managing Director of CI4C GmbH & Co. KG.

The Pure Oxyfuel process as a key technology

In conventional combustion processes, air is used as the oxygen carrier in the rotary kiln. The Pure Oxyfuel process replaces air with pure oxygen. This generates a highly concentrated CO₂ stream, enabling efficient carbon dioxide capture.

Significant progress has already been achieved during the first months of operation. At the end of May 2026, clinker was produced at the facility for the first time, followed by the first oxygen supply in early June. After the operation of the kiln in oxyfuel mode with 100% oxygen input on 22 July 2026, the project team succeeded the very next day in capturing high-purity CO₂ in the form of dry ice within the downstream Carbon Purification Unit (CPU). This demonstrated the operation of CO₂ capture under oxyfuel conditions. The results provide valuable insights for the further development of the technology and its future industrial application. Additional test campaigns are planned over the coming years to evaluate and further develop the process under a range of operating conditions.

The knowledge gained will help advance CO₂ capture technologies for industrial deployment and establish the foundations for future large-scale applications. In the long term, the Pure Oxyfuel process is intended to enable the efficient capture of CO₂, which can then either be permanently stored or reused as a raw material in other industrial processes. In this way, the project contributes to reducing the unavoidable process-related CO₂ emissions of the cement industry.

Press Contacts: Press – CI4C

Photos: Patrick Vöhringer