Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds

Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds: Recently, the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, launched the country’s first cluster of Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds, with a specific focus on the cement sector.

• Key Highlights : Support India’s net-zero pathway by enabling decarbonisation in hard-to-abate sectors like cement, steel, and chemicals through cutting-edge CCU technologies.

o Cement industry, one of the largest carbon emitters, now a priority area for research-based carbon mitigation solutions.

• Five CCU Testbeds : Testbed 1 (Ballabhgarh, with JK Cement): Uses oxygen-enhanced calcination to capture 2 TPD CO₂, converting it into concrete blocks and olefins.

o Testbed 2 (IIT Kanpur + JSW Cement): Enables carbon-negative mineralization, locking Co₂ into solid stone.

o Testbed 3 (IIT Bombay + Dalmia Cement): Pilots catalyst-based CO₂ capture at a full-scale plant.

o Testbed 4 (CSIR-IIP, IIT Tirupati, IISc + JSW Cement): Applies VSA for gas separation, reintegrating CO₂ into construction materials.

o Testbed 5 (IIT Madras & BITS Pilani + Ultratech): Develops low-carbon cement through scalable innovations.