Australia: Boral has received US$16.6m in funding from the New South Wales Government to support an alternative fuel project at its Berrima Cement Works, aiming to reduce emissions and accelerate decarbonisation in cement manufacturing. The project will transition the kiln from coal to lower-carbon alternative fuels, with a target of 60% thermal energy substitution. Over its service life, the initiative is expected to reduce Scope 1 emissions by 1.6Mt. It will also divert an estimated 73,000t/yr of waste from landfill.

The grant was awarded under the NSW Government’s High Emitting Industries Grant programme, which supports manufacturing and mining facilities to develop and deploy decarbonisation projects to reduce emissions by 2030. Boral said that about 35% of its Scope 1 emissions come from fuel combustion, with the rest being process emissions from calcination during clinker production.

“This project will enable us to build technical and operational capabilities to sustainably achieve significant emissions reductions,” said Vik Bansal, Boral CEO and Managing Director. “We look forward to sharing our findings across the sector and helping to preserve and strengthen Australia’s domestic cement manufacturing capability for generations to come.”