MCi Carbon plans to build first industrial large-scale carbon capture and utilisation plant in Austria

2024-01-20

Jan. 19, 2024 - In a groundbreaking move towards global sustainable industrial decarbonisation, MCi Carbon, an Australian clean technology platform, have commenced preliminary engineering work for their first industrial large-scale plant in collaboration with world-renowned refractories leader RHI Magnesita. Alongside an additional multi-million-dollar investment from RHI Magnesita, this accelerates MCi Carbon's mission to scale-up and commercialise their carbon capture and utilisation technology.

"This investment marks a pivotal moment for MCi Carbon and underscores the trust our partners place in our transformative technology. With RHI Magnesita's support, we are poised to accelerate our global commercialisation efforts and address the challenges faced by heavy industries in achieving decarbonisation," said Marcus Dawe, Founder and CEO of MCi Carbon.

"The partnership with the Australian cleantech startup MCi Carbon is forward-looking and their technological approach is particularly interesting because it combines carbon capture storage and carbon utilisation. This is currently the most promising way for the refractory industry to reduce process emissions," says Stefan Borgas, CEO of RHI Magnesita.

Previously, RHI Magnesita signed a long-term strategic cooperation agreement with MCi to decarbonise components of their operations. This partnership was formed alongside an initial multi-million-dollar investment made in February 2023 in MCi’s carbon capture and utilisation technology. RHI Magnesita will be MCi Carbon’s first global commercial customer.

The investment will facilitate completion of the Myrtle facility, which is currently being constructed in Newcastle, Australia. Once complete, Myrtle will abate over 1000 tonnes of CO2 annually through customer-focussed trial campaigns. The company is scaling its technology to provide decarbonisation pathways for hard-to abate sectors including steel, cement, lime, mining, chemicals, and manufacturing.

This week, MCi Carbon’s co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Sophia Hamblin Wang is attending the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Ms Hamblin Wang is urging global leaders to shift from rhetoric to tangible action to combat climate change, calling for courageous climate capital to propel industries towards a net zero emissions future.

“Attending the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos presents a unique opportunity to advocate for climate action and promote our mission. We call on global leaders to move beyond rhetoric and embrace tangible actions, fostering a climate-conscious, prosperous future,” said Ms Hamblin Wang. “MCi Carbon’s technology proves that it is possible to decarbonise and create profitable business models at the same time. The support of RHI Magnesita accelerates our impact, amplifies our voice and solidifies our position as leaders in carbon capture and utilisation.”