GeZero: Implementation of the CO₂ capture project paused – Geseke site remains important
Heidelberg, 22 October 2026 – Heidelberg Materials has decided to pause its GeZero project in Geseke, Germany, in its current form and to further optimise the project setup. Despite all efforts, the implementation of the project cannot progress as planned. Current framework conditions are not yet sufficient to support a robust business case. In particular, the relevant value chains are not yet mature enough to ensure that CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure solutions will be available on time, and at an acceptable level of economic risk for us as a CO₂ producer.
The decision concerns solely the GeZero CCS project in its current form. It has no direct impact on the ongoing operation of the Geseke plant.
Christoph Streicher, General Manager Germany: ”The Geseke site remains of great importance to Heidelberg Materials. The current pause is a decision made after careful consideration, to successfully plan the next steps for the GeZero project in the long term under the right economic and regulatory conditions.”
As a global innovation leader, Heidelberg Materials has been successfully operating the world’s first industrial-scale CCS facility in the cement industry in Brevik, Norway, since June 2025. In addition, the Final Investment Decision for our Padeswood CCS project in the UK was taken in September 2025, representing another significant leap forward. Construction of the facility began in December 2025. These two projects, and the fact that we have developed our GeZero project in Germany thus far, position us as the global market leader in CCUS for the cement industry. In this way, we are making a significant contribution to reducing emissions and reaffirm our commitment to delivering a lighthouse CCS project in our home market.
Heidelberg Materials is currently developing several CCUS projects in Europe and North America, which all have unique requirements. We will implement those projects first for which the necessary conditions for a successful business case are in place. These are essential to creating internationally competitive structures in Germany. CCUS projects depend on CO₂ infrastructure, with several market actors involved in transport and storage. This requires a government-backed de-risking mechanism for early movers. In addition, onshore storage can make an important contribution to reducing costs and increasing the profitability of projects, especially in inland locations.
- About Heidelberg Materials
Heidelberg Materials is one of the world's largest integrated manufacturers of heavy building materials and solutions with leading market positions in cement, aggregates, and ready-mixed concrete. Around 49,000 employees in almost 50 countries shape our growth path. Drawing on our global advantage, we create synergies in the areas of sustainability, digitalisation, and technical excellence. As the industry’s front runner on the path to Net Zero, we enable our customers to lead the way towards a more sustainable future through our growing offering of low-carbon and circular building materials.