Displaying items by tag: Alternative raw materials

US: Denmark-based life sciences investment company Novo Holdings says that it has invested US$65m in bio-based clinker-free cement producer Biomason. Biomason uses microorganisms to grow its Biocement cement, without heating or CO₂ emissions. The producer is in its Series C round of financing. Novo Holdings previously invested in its Series B financing round.

Germany/Italy: Italy-based Buzzi Unicem has launched its CGreen reduced-CO₂ cement on the German and Italian cement markets. The product uses alternative raw materials to partially replace clinker and also optimises grinding and mixing conditions through the use of novel specialist additives. In Germany, the available range of CGreen cements will consist of Dyckerhoff Eco Comfort cement and Dyckerhoff Cedur cement.

Italy cemeny chief operating officer Antonio Buzzi said "The ecological transition calls for us to adapt our behaviors and actions in order to neutralise our carbon footprint. This transition implies the partial or total redesign of production processes, distribution systems and consumption patterns, heralding the start of a potential industrial revolution and a change in our habits."

UK: A consortium led by Australia-based First Graphene dedicated to developing graphene-enhanced cement has won Euro228,000 in UK government funding. Innovation agency Innovation UK selected the consortium for its work’s potential to contribute towards cement and concrete’s carbon footprint reduction of 25% by 2030. UK-based Breedon Cement represents the cement industry within the consortium.

US: Eco Material Technologies has successfully completed its acquisition of near-zero carbon cement alternatives producer Green Cement. Eco Material Technologies previously agreed to acquire Boral’s US fly ash business in December 2021, a transaction which it expects to conclude in 2022.

US: Eco Materials Technologies has finalised its US$1.05bn acquisition of Boral’s US fly ash business and launched an oversubscribed US$525m green bond issue. The issue will help it to become a global green cement production leader, according to the group. The Australian Financial Review newspaper has reported that subscriptions were four times the available bonds.

Italy: Holcim has signed a collaboration agreement with energy company Eni for the development of ENI’s magnesium silicate-based carbon utilisation technology. The reaction of the magnesium silicate with captured CO₂ emissions yields a product which Holcim hopes to use in its cement production.

Holcim Innovation Center head Edelio Bermejo said “Reaching net zero in cement manufacturing will require the deployment of carbon capture, utilisation and storage technologies at scale. ENI’s solution is very promising, and we are happy to explore its potential as it could take us all one step further on our decarbonisation journey.”

Denmark: Aalborg Portland Cement says that the market ‘warmly welcomed’ its new FUTURECEM calcined clay cement in 2021. The product has reached its sales expectations for the year and is now nearly sold out for 2022. The company says that its plan to ramp up FUTURECEM production to replace 50% of grey cement production at its Rørdal cement plant is on track.

Parent company Cementir Holding says that the success of FUTURECEM rests on four pillars, namely its suitability for intended applications, targeted communication, close dialogue with concrete producers and the entire value chain and strategic partnerships with leading construction clients. It said “The lesson learned is that the market needs thorough information about new products and its industrialisation to rely on and implement them in place of conventional products.” The group added that its experience in Denmark paves the way for limestone calcined clay technology rollouts in other markets in line with its sustainable roadmap towards 2030.

Mexico/UK: Cemex has partnered with UK-based carbon capture equipment supplier Carbon8 Systems to evaluate possible uses of the supplier’s Accelerated Carbonation Technology (ACT) in the group’s cement production. Operators can use the equipment to produce carbon-infused sustainable materials from thermal residues. Cemex says that one possible application will be in the production of supplementary cementitious materials. Under the partnership, Carbon8 Systems will evaluate a range of Cemex’s byproducts for possible use, beginning at its Rüdersdorf cement plant in Germany and Rugby cement plant in the UK. It will also evaluate the suitability of alternative lightweight aggregates produced using ACT for sale in each market.

Executive vice president sustainability, commercial, and operations development Juan Romero said "This initiative with Carbon8 Systems is another example of the work we are doing with partners across industries, academia, and startups to tap into the latest innovation and disruptive technologies to achieve our ambition of delivering net-zero CO2 concrete globally to all of our customers."

US: The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has announced the winners of its Energy and Environment Awards 2021. The awards recognise cement plants’ outstanding environmental and social efforts beyond what is required.

CalPortland’s Mojave plant in California won the Energy Efficiency award for an efficiency-increasing upgrade to its vertical roller mill, which included the introduction of a bottom hopper cone on each of its cyclones and a replacement of its mill fan housing. Argos USA’s Calera plant in Alabama won the Land Stewardship award for its conversion an 8.5ha lime kiln dust stockpile into grassland. The area now forms a vibrant ecosystem including wetland habitats. The producer also installed ponds with the additional purpose of stormwater management. Titan America’s Pennsuco plant in Florida won the Overall Environmental Excellence award for its conversion of the plant’s kiln to natural gas from coal use. The upgrade has also enabled the plant to begin to substitute alternative fuel (AF) in the kiln. The Pennsuco plant plans to produce 100% Portland limestone cement (PLC) by ‘as early as 2023.’

Other awards went to Roanoke Cement’s Troutville, Virginia, plant in the Environmental Performance category and to Cemex USA’s Victorville, California, plant in the Outreach category.

PCA President and CEO Michael Ireland said “The US’s cement manufacturers continue to focus on researching and developing new and innovative ways to reduce their environmental footprint. These accomplishments and industry commitment to carbon neutrality across the entire value chain demonstrate PCA members’ dedication to energy efficiency and a more sustainable future.”

India: ACC and Ambuja Cements have partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD) to develop a range of calcined clay cements with 50% lower CO₂ emissions than Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). The collaboration will vary clinker, calcined clay and limestone levels in calcined clay cements in order to ascertain their effects on its performance. France-based Holcim Innovation Centre will fund the research.

Holcim India chief executive officer and managing director Neeraj Akhoury said "Through our extensive research and development setup, we consistently strive to develop new low-CO₂ materials for the construction industry. Calcined clay cement is one such avenue to make a significant quantitative difference in the industry and further accelerate our sustainability drive. Our academic partnership with IITD is a big step towards building a greener future and we are excited to collaborate with the best minds in the country."

The producers have previously partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) to study low-CO₂ binders with alternative reinforcements and with the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) to develop smart sensing technology for continuous on-site strength evaluation of a concrete structure.