ELECTRA "Electrification of high temperature and flexible technologies for transforming cement, lime and pulp industry"

Research Project, 2024 – 2028

ELECTRA demonstrates that electric heating can substitute fossil fuels in the cement, lime, and pulp industries. ELECTRA develops and validates in
real life emission-free, electrically heated cement and lime production process in MW scale capable of reaching temperature up to 2000°C. By using
low-emission electricity instead of combustion for decomposing calcium carbonate, and by capturing the carbon dioxide produced in the production
process, it is possible to run a cement plant with close to zero carbon dioxide emissions providing even negative-emission cement and lime products
for the society. Successful implementation of ELECTRA will eliminate fuel-related CO2-emissions from the industries targeted by 30-50% of total
process emissions, depending on the industry and mode of operation.
Scalability and replicability is showcased by the platform-based solutions offering modularity, and the possibility is there to run in various hybrid
modes in a transition period, lowering initial CAPEX. They allow for both new electric installations and revamping of old ones. Platform-based
modular automation practices can potentially accelerate electrification by up to 5 years. Different applications also require different properties for
lime and therefore variations of electrically heated processes are developed to support and complement MW scale demonstration.
Replacing combustion processes with electricity-based solutions and significantly increasing emission-free electricity production is an effective means
of mitigating climate change. As one of the ingredients for concrete, cement is the world's most used building material and globally the largest CO2
emitter of all industrial sectors. The results of ELECTRA contribute directly to the ambitious goal of eliminating direct CO2 emissions from the lime,
paper and cement industries. The developed fully electrified solutions for calcination and clinkering will offer the cheapest option for decarbonation
for these industries.