Low Emission Technology Australia (LETA) has today announced its co-investment partnership with KC8 Capture Technologies in the groundbreaking PACER (Potassium Carbonate Absorption for Clinker Emissions Reduction) project.
The PACER project is cutting-edge Australian technology that will demonstrate a new carbon capture solution for clinker production, a process integral to cement production but responsible for a significant portion of CO2 emissions.
This joint effort aims to revolutionise cement production in Australia by significantly reducing the carbon emissions produced through this process.
By leveraging potassium carbonate absorption technology, PACER aims to capture up to 95% of CO2 emissions from heavy industry sources.
Partnering with Cement Australia allows this technology to be utilised at the Cement Australia facility in Gladstone while using the region’s existing cement production infrastructure.
Through this partnership, LETA and KC8 will combine their resources, expertise, and technical know-how to accelerate the development of the PACER project, with the goal of deploying an efficient and scalable solution that can be adopted by the cement industry worldwide, helping to achieve substantial reductions in carbon emissions.
Speaking about the partnership, Mark McCallum, CEO of Low Emission Technology Australia, said LETA is thrilled to be collaborating with KC8 Capture Technologies and Cement Australia on the PACER project.
“LETA’s funding highlights our commitment to driving innovation in low-emission technologies and this joint effort will pave the way for crucial advancements in clinker production, helping to tackle one of the most significant sources of industrial CO2 emissions.
“By combining LETA’s deep expertise in low-emission technologies with KC8’s innovative potassium carbonate absorption technology, we are confident that PACER will make a substantial contribution to reducing carbon emissions in the cement industry.
“It is technologies like PACER that are going to help us reduce emissions here in Australia and around the world. This is good for Australian jobs, Australian workers in our regions, and for Australian businesses looking to lower their emissions now and into the future.”
Greg Ross, Executive Director for KC8 highlighted the importance of the support of industry bodies such as LETA in developing technology in Australia.
“We are very grateful for the funding support from LETA and the partners supporting LETA. Without their financial support, stepping in when the Federal Government withdrew CCUS funding, world-class technologies such as ours would have to move to other countries to be commercialised.”
“While we are already underway with a commercial demonstration in the USA, we are first and foremost an Australian company and want to be able to support Australia’s heavy industries to achieve our common climate reduction goals. With LETA’s support, our aim is to demonstrate that it is possible to remove millions of tons of CO2 from flue gases economically using existing assets”
Cement Australia chief executive Rob Davies said “the PACER project objectives directly support Cement Australia’s decarbonisation road map and pathway to net zero carbon emissions.”
The initial phase of the project will involve a $6 million funding commitment from LETA that will be used for testing, validation, and optimisation of the technology. The project will then look to move towards large-scale implementation.
The PACER project aligns with both LETA and KC8’s shared vision of developing and deploying innovative solutions that contribute to a sustainable, low-carbon future.
By co-investing in the project, both organisations are demonstrating their commitment to driving meaningful change in the cement industry and reducing its environmental footprint.
ENDS