In the fourth Episode of INNOVATING FOR THE EARTH, innovation expert and radio and TV presenter James O’Loghlin talks with Simon Thomsen, Project Engineer at Calix and responsible for the R&D on the LEILAC 2 project about how LEILAC Carbon Capture technology is applied to the cement industry.

The LEILAC technology is based on Calix’s Direct Separation technology, which aims to enable the efficient capture of the unavoidable process carbon emissions, derived from its original application in the magnesite industry. Applying and scaling up the technology to the cement industry carries a large number of risks. To quickly and effectively apply this technology, the European-Australian collaboration LEILAC projects include consortia of some of the world’s largest cement, and lime companies, as well as leading research and environmental institutions.

LEILAC will deliver a stepchange in the efficiency of capturing CO2 emissions. See www.project-leilac.eu for more information and follow it on twitter under ‘ProjectLEILAC’.

Simon Thomsen has taken on a multitude of roles as required by the varying needs of a fast growing company. These have included project managing periodic upgrades of the CFC15000 facility, managing the delivery of services for high value customers such as Melbourne Water and most recently, held a pivotal role in completing the engineering on the pre-FEED study for the LEILAC project before moving to Europe full time in 2017 to work on the project full time. With the LEILAC 1 project now successfully completed, he has transitioned into the LEILAC 2 project to manage the research and development program, which needs to resolve the remaining scale up and integration technology challenges. The LEILAC 2 project has now successfully completed its pre-feasibility study and is progressing with Front End Engineering Design.