UAE Turns Factory Emissions Into Solid Rock

Holcim and 44.01 link capture to mineral storage, marking a practical step forward for cement decarbonization in the UAE

13 Dec 2025

On 9 December 2025, a cement plant in Fujairah quietly took a step that could echo well beyond the UAE.

Holcim and climate tech firm 44.01 have launched a pilot that captures carbon dioxide from cement production and turns it into stone underground. It is a small project by volume, but a significant one in ambition. In a region intent on staying competitive in energy and heavy industry, this is climate policy translated into hardware.

The pilot aims to capture about five tonnes of CO₂ a day in its first phase. That will not transform the sector overnight. But cement is one of the toughest industries to clean up. Much of its pollution comes from the chemical reaction that creates clinker, the key ingredient in cement. Even if plants switch fuels or improve efficiency, those process emissions remain.

That is why carbon capture has long been seen as one of the few viable near term options.

What makes the Fujairah effort stand out is its full chain design. Carbon capture projects often stall at the question of storage. Capturing gas at the smokestack is one thing. Proving it stays out of the atmosphere is another.

Here, the plan is direct. The captured CO₂ is sent into a mineralization process that reacts with rock formations and becomes solid stone. No long distance shipping. No open ended storage debate. Gas becomes rock, and rock stays put.

The partnership reflects a broader shift in the Gulf. Large industrial players are teaming up with specialist climate firms to move from pilot ideas to operating systems. Holcim brings scale and industrial know how. 44.01 contributes a storage method designed to meet growing scrutiny from investors and regulators.

There are hurdles ahead. Cement plants run around the clock, and any new equipment must keep pace without driving up costs. Long term monitoring will also matter as governments refine carbon rules.

Still, the message is clear. The Middle East is not just talking about hard to abate emissions. In Fujairah, it is testing how to lock them away for good.