Greek carbon storage developer EnEarth has entered formal negotiations with Heidelberg Materials Devnya, marking a significant move toward building out Bulgaria’s first major carbon transport and storage network.
The companies have signed a term sheet outlining exclusive talks for the segments of the Devnya cement plant’s carbon capture project that will move and permanently sequester CO2.
The Devnya initiative forms part of Heidelberg Materials’ broader CCUS rollout, and it is one of the company’s most ambitious undertakings in southeastern Europe.
Plans call for capturing roughly 800,000 tons of CO2 annually from the Varna-region plant and routing it to a secure storage site. The European Union has awarded €190 million (~$223 million) to support the project, with €38 million (~$44.5 million) earmarked specifically to prepare and validate the storage facility.
Building a Regional Hub for CO2 Storage
EnEarth’s role would center on building out the transport corridors and developing the injection site, drawing on the company’s strategy of transforming depleted oil and gas reservoirs into long-term carbon storage hubs.
As part of Energean, EnEarth aims to establish a network of sites across the region that can serve industrial emitters seeking permanent storage options.
According to EnEarth’s Head of Carbon Storage, Nikolas Rigas, the “successful implementation of the Devnya CO2 project will benefit the environment, business, and local communities.”
Relevant: Heidelberg Materials Launches New CO2 Capture Pilot In Bulgaria
Both partners view the collaboration as a foundation for wider CCS adoption in the Balkans, where industrial emissions remain significant and few storage projects have moved beyond early-stage development.
Heidelberg Materials maintains a strong presence in Bulgaria, operating the Devnya Cement Plant, the Vulkan Grinding Center, two cement terminals, and a concrete batching operation in Varna.
The Devnya CCS effort is intended to enter operation before 2030, aligning with EU targets for industrial decarbonization and the company’s own net-zero pathway. If completed on schedule, it would become one of eastern Europe’s first large-capacity CO2 storage projects, demonstrating how legacy industrial assets can adapt to tightening climate requirements.
Read more: Greece Advances $4.2 Billion Carbon Capture And Pipeline Project
