Displaying items by tag: Emissions

UK: Heidelberg Materials has reached a Final Investment Decision (FID) with the UK Government for its carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at the Padeswood cement works in north Wales, clearing the way for construction to begin later in 2025.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks announced the decision today, which will enable Heidelberg Materials to produce net-zero cement by 2029. The project will capture around 0.8Mt/yr of CO₂, approximately 95% of emissions from the cement works, and transport them via pipeline for storage under Liverpool Bay as part of the HyNet North West project.

Simon Willis, CEO of Heidelberg Materials UK, said “Our constructive partnership with the UK Government has allowed us to reach this major milestone, which is fantastic news, not just for us, but for the industry as a whole. Our new facility at Padeswood will be a world-leader. It will allow us to produce evoZero carbon captured net zero cement, which will help the UK construction industry reach its decarbonisation aims.”

The project is expected to create 50 new jobs, and generate up to 500 more during construction. It is the UK’s first full-scale CCS project for cement and follows Heidelberg Materials’ recent success in Norway, where it launched the world’s first carbon capture facility at its Brevik cement plant in June 2025. Here, 50% of the plant’s emissions are being captured as part of the Norwegian government’s Longship programme.

The UK-based Mineral Products Association (MPA) has celebrated this step, with Dr Diana Casey, Executive Director for Energy and Climate Change, Cement and Lime, saying “The green light for the UK’s first carbon capture-enabled cement plant at Padeswood is a landmark step on the road to decarbonising our domestic cement industry – it will safeguard existing skilled jobs and create new opportunities too. Public investment in this project provides a strong vote of confidence in the technology and recognises the vital role cement plays in supporting economic growth while delivering on the transition to net zero. Decarbonising heavy industry is not only essential for meeting climate goals, but also for securing the future of communities across the country – today’s announcement delivers on both.”

Japan: Mitsubishi UBE Cement Corporation (MUCC), Osaka Gas, Daigas Energy and Saibu Gas have successfully tested natural gas co-firing at MUCC’s Kyushu Plant in the Kurosaki area. Using a newly developed burner, the companies replaced 40% of coal with natural gas at commercial scale without affecting kiln stability, product quality or environmental performance.

The burner was developed using MUCC’s coal combustion expertise alongside Osaka Gas and Daigas Energy’s gas combustion and simulation technologies, with Saibu Gas supplying natural gas from LNG tank trucks. MUCC said the trial paves the way for full-scale implementation and supports future use of e-methane in cement kilns.

MUCC aims to cut CO₂ emissions by 40% by 2030, compared to 2013 levels, and achieve group-wide carbon neutrality by 2050 under its medium-term management strategy “Infinity with Will 2025 – MUCC Sustainable Plan 1st STEP.”

US: Supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) producer Eco Material Technologies has published its 2024 Sustainability Report, detailing the measures it has employed to reduce its environmental impact over the year. The producer said that its SCM displaced 5% of US cement consumption, avoiding 5.5Mt of CO₂ emissions. The company diverted 6.2Mt of ash from landfill and harvested a further 0.5Mt, reducing water use by 7.57bn litres compared to conventional materials. It produced 73,292t of ‘green’ cement, avoiding over 65,000t of CO₂, and aims to double recycled material use to 20Mt by 2030.

Chief executive officer Grant Quasha said “We're proving that domestic fly ash is not only a powerful climate solution, but also a resilient and scalable one. The infrastructure transformation is already underway, and we're proud to be leading it.”

Eco Material Technologies operates 125 sites in 42 states and employs 1100 people.

Norway: thyssenkrupp Polysius will supply the kiln system for SMA Mineral’s quicklime plant, designed to operate without CO₂ emissions using SaltX’s electric calcination technology. The pilot facility is scheduled for completion in 2027, and will produce 40,000t/yr of quicklime. The project has received €24m in funding from Norwegian state enterprise Enova.

thyssenkrupp Polysius CEO Christian Myland said “We are proud to contribute to this landmark project that sets a new standard for sustainable lime production. Our collaboration with SMA Mineral and SaltX Technology demonstrates how industrial partnerships can accelerate the transition to net-zero emissions. This project is a testament to our commitment to engineering solutions that drive decarbonisation.”

The partnership between SaltX Technology and thyssenkrupp Polysius follows the signing of a Letter of Intent in February 2025.

Costa Rica: Holcim Costa Rica has issued its first sustainability report, which states that it reduced CO₂ emissions by 19% between 2018 and 2024. During the last year, the company prevented the release of more than 4600t of CO₂ thanks to improvements in thermal efficiency. It also processed more than 72,000t of municipal and industrial waste as energy or alternative fuel in cement production and reused more than 90% of the industrial water consumed at its cement plant. It reported that it has reached gender equality within its executive team, with 50% female and 50% male leadership.

Holcim Costa Rica’s 2030 goals include achieving a 32% reduction in primary CO₂ emissions from cement plant operations, a 5% reduction in electricity consumption and a 21% reduction in logistics emissions, while reaching a net positive impact on biodiversity, and reducing the use of fresh water.

Togo: Cement producers in Togo have committed to reduce CO₂ emissions by 2050 by lowering the clinker factor and increasing the use of alternative fuels. At a meeting in Lomé on 30 June 2025, manufacturers set out a roadmap that includes large-scale adoption of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) to reduce clinker content from 65% to 40%, potentially cutting emissions by up to 40% without sacrificing performance, according to the Togo First newspaper.

The strategy also involves replacing coal with agricultural or municipal waste. Industry data shows that cement production generated 0.9Mt of CO₂ in 2023, which could rise to 1.8Mt by 2050 without intervention. Manufacturers are seeking regulatory support to help deliver the roadmap, which aligns with Togo’s Paris Agreement commitments.

China: NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers (NACC) has placed another order for a HeatPower 300 waste heat recovery system from Climeon on a second cement carrier, to be built at Zhejiang Xinle Shipbuilding Co. and delivered in 2027.

The 38,000t vessel will run exclusively on green methanol and is expected to cut CO₂ emissions by over 60% compared to conventional vessels, reportedly avoiding around 180,000t of CO₂ emissions over 10 years. The HeatPower 300 will generate up to 300kW of carbon-free electricity from engine cooling water and exhaust gases.

Malaysia: Cementir Group subsidiary Aalborg Portland Malaysia has launched CEM II/A-LL 52.5N with 12% lower CO₂ emissions compared to Aalborg White CEM I 52.5N. The product, part of the D-Carb family, maintains high and consistent early-age performance and is aimed at supporting industrial decarbonisation. It will be distributed primarily in Australia, with further availability across Asia.

Aalborg Portland APAC managing director Fabrizio Piero Carraro said “The demand for low carbon white cement is rapidly increasing across APAC markets, particularly in more mature markets like Australia. This growth is being driven by clear policy direction, defined industrial decarbonisation targets and rising environmental awareness among industry players. As a result, we are seeing a strong shift toward white cement solutions that offer both reduced carbon emissions and high performance.”

UK: Material Evolution has secured a venture debt facility from HSBC Innovation Banking UK to support the development and scaling of its ‘ultra-low CO₂’ cement technology.

The producer uses alkali fusion and AI-powered design to manufacture its MevoCem product, which the company says reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 85% compared to ordinary Portland cement. The venture debt facility will reportedly be used to help ‘grow the company’s commercial traction’, according to a press release.

Spain: Molins has received permits from the Generalitat de Catalunya to begin operating an auxiliary hydrogen generation facility at its Sant Vicenç dels Horts cement plant in Barcelona.

The producer will install a hydrogen production module based on water electrolysis, using water from subway catchments. The system includes osmosis treatment to purify the water prior to splitting it into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity. The hydrogen will be consumed directly as fuel in the clinker kiln, replacing part of the petcoke currently used to reduce CO₂ emissions.

Molins forecasts hydrogen consumption of 305t/yr and expects to cut CO₂ emissions by 3600t/yr. The company said the project supports its Sustainability Roadmap 2030, which targets a 20% reduction in emissions by 2030 compared to 2020.