Organization

LABORATORIO ENERGIA AMBIENTE PIACENZA

Italian research centre specializing in CO2 capture from cement production, calcium looping technology, and industrial CCUS deployment.

Research instituteenergyIT

H2020 projects

As coordinator

Total EC funding

€799K

Unique partners

What they do

Their core work

LEAP is an Italian research centre in Piacenza specializing in energy and environmental technologies, with deep expertise in CO2 capture applied to cement and lime production. They contribute technical knowledge on calcium looping processes and carbon capture and storage (CCS/CCUS) systems, working as both a project coordinator and a specialist third-party contributor. Their work bridges industrial decarbonization — particularly in hard-to-abate sectors like cement — with advanced energy conversion systems including supercritical CO2 power cycles for solar energy.

Core expertise

What they specialise in

CO2 capture from cement and lime productionprimary

3 projects

Core contributor to CEMCAP, coordinator of CLEANKER (calcium looping for cement CO2 capture), and third party in LEILAC2 (demonstration-scale low-emissions cement and lime).

Calcium looping technologyprimary

1 project

Coordinated CLEANKER, focused specifically on calcium looping as a CO2 capture method for clinker production.

CCUS infrastructure and CO2 hubssecondary

1 project

Involved in LEILAC2 which addresses CO2 use, CO2 hubs, and full CCUS value chains at demonstration scale.

Supercritical CO2 power cycles for solar energyemerging

1 project

Third-party contributor to SCARABEUS, exploring CO2 blends as innovative working fluids in concentrated solar power plants.

Evolution & trajectory

How they've shifted over time

Early focus

CO2 capture in cement

Recent focus

Industrial CCUS deployment and solar CO2 cycles

LEAP's early H2020 work (2015–2018) was firmly rooted in CO2 capture from cement production, starting with CEMCAP and then coordinating CLEANKER on calcium looping — a specific capture technology for clinker manufacturing. From 2019 onward, their scope broadened: they entered concentrated solar power through SCARABEUS (supercritical CO2 cycles) and moved toward demonstration-scale CCUS with LEILAC2, signaling a shift from lab-level capture research to industrial deployment and diversification into energy conversion applications of CO2.

LEAP is moving from research-phase CO2 capture toward demonstration-scale industrial decarbonization and exploring CO2 as a working fluid in energy systems — positioning them at the intersection of carbon capture and clean energy conversion.

Collaboration profile

How they like to work

Role: third_party_expertReach: European19 countries collaborated

LEAP primarily operates as a third-party expert (3 of 4 projects), brought in by larger consortia for specialized technical contributions, but has demonstrated coordination capability by leading CLEANKER. With 48 unique partners across 19 countries, they plug into large European consortia rather than working in small teams. Their third-party role suggests they offer niche laboratory or testing capabilities that consortia need but don't require a full partnership arrangement to access.

LEAP has collaborated with 48 unique partners across 19 countries, indicating a well-connected European network concentrated in the industrial decarbonization and CCS research community. Their reach spans most of the EU, built through participation in major multi-partner energy and climate projects.

Why partner with them

What sets them apart

LEAP occupies a distinctive niche at the intersection of cement industry decarbonization and CO2-based energy systems — two domains that rarely overlap in a single research centre. Their progression from early-stage capture research (CEMCAP) through coordination (CLEANKER) to demonstration participation (LEILAC2) shows they can contribute across the full technology maturity chain. For consortium builders targeting hard-to-abate industrial emissions, LEAP brings both the calcium looping expertise and the track record of working within large CCUS demonstration projects.

Notable projects

Highlights from their portfolio

CLEANKER
LEAP's only coordinated project (EUR 798,875), focused on calcium looping for clean clinker production — demonstrates their leadership capability in cement decarbonization.
LEILAC2
A demonstration-scale project running until 2026 on low-emissions lime and cement, representing LEAP's involvement in the most advanced stage of CCUS deployment.
SCARABEUS
Marks LEAP's diversification into concentrated solar power and supercritical CO2 cycles — a departure from their cement-focused core.

Cross-sector capabilities

Cement and building materials manufacturingEnvironmental engineering and emissions reductionSolar thermal energy systemsIndustrial process optimization

Analysis note: With only 4 projects (3 as third party with no reported EC funding), the profile is based on limited direct data. LEAP's expertise is clear in cement-sector CO2 capture, but the depth of their capabilities in solar CO2 cycles (single project) should be considered emerging rather than established. Funding figure of EUR 798,875 reflects only CLEANKER; total organizational resources are likely larger than H2020 data suggests.