Displaying items by tag: European Union

EU: The European Commission has introduced a Draft Guidance document regarding the Free Allocation Regulation (FAR), now expanded to include ‘alternative hydraulic binders’ within the cement clinker benchmark. To qualify for allocation under this benchmark, these binders must meet three specific criteria: they must be used in cement production, not be included in any other benchmark under the European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), and must not be by-products of waste or other production processes.

The European Cement Association (CEMBUREAU) has expressed concerns regarding these criteria. Namely, that the proposed changes suggest a shift from a clinker to a cement-based benchmark approach, making current methodologies and regulations inconsistent and impractical, especially as cement production often occurs outside ETS-covered sites. CEMBUREAU also states that some materials like pozzolana and calcined clay, requiring activation by lime or grey cement clinker, do not fit the hydraulic binder definition. Lastly, the association suggests that only materials covered by the standard EN 197-1 should be considered as alternative hydraulic binders, implying that the current definition in the FAR is overly broad and potentially problematic.

Türkiye: The Turkish cement industry needs to invest approximately US$30bn to achieve its net-zero carbon goal by 2053, according to sector representatives. Additionally, around US$2bn is required to adhere to the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), according to Fatih Yücelik, chair of the Turkish Cement Manufacturers’ Association (TÜRKÇİMENTO).

Yücelik said “The most important issue for us this year is carbon emissions. The amount of investments to be made swiftly in transformation and efficiency work to overcome the barriers created by the CBAM is around US$2bn. However, under the current situation, it is difficult for us to find this financing.”

There are 77 factories producing cement in Türkiye, according to Yücelik. “They all use kilns which heavily consume energy. We are establishing waste heat recovery facilities. The amount of electricity generated by those units can power 618,000 homes,” he said. The industry also faces rising operational costs, with energy comprising about 80% of these expenses.

Czech Republic: The Czech Cement Association (SVC ČR) says that it is “firmly” committed to decarbonise the cement industry and has agreed a clear roadmap explaining how to reach net zero by 2050. It added that it was also backing the strategy outlined in the European Commission’s (EC) industrial deal. In a statement the association said, “The position of SVC ČR regarding the proposal of the decarbonising targets by 2040 is that the Czech government has to prepare in cooperation with the individual industries a deep analysis of the opportunities and the risks arising from the new proposal and prepare a long-term strategy to support the competitiveness of Czech energy-intensive industries.”

SVC ČR distanced itself from comments published in ČTK Business News reporting that a group of energy-intensive industry associations in the country had challenged the EC's proposal to aim to reduce CO₂ emissions by 90% by 2040. The associations argue that the target will harm the competitiveness of Czech industries. They say that it is based on unrealistic assumptions and overlooks the absence of necessary conditions for major investment in the EU’s green industry transformation.

This story was updated on 29 February 2024 with comments from SVC ČR

EU: The World Cement Association (WCA) has lent its voice to cross-industry support for the roll-out of the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The mechanism taxes carbon-intensive imports, including cement, in order to prevent carbon leakage under the Emissions Trading Scheme. It first entered force on 1 October 2023, and will conclude its transitional period on 31 December 2025. Through its involvement, the WCA aims to inform and facilitate understanding of CBAM's reporting requirements, emission calculation methodologies and the workings of the CBAM Transitional Registry. WCA members and other stakeholders can access up-to-date CBAM information via a dedicated page on the association’s website.

WCA chief executive officer Ian Riley said "I'm pleased to announce our commitment to supporting our members in addressing the challenges and opportunities of this crucial initiative. The WCA is committed to supporting solutions that promote environmental responsibility and sustainability within the cement industry. We aim to work closely with our members and other stakeholders to navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by the CBAM regulation, ultimately contributing to a greener and more resilient global economy."

EU: Cemex has welcomed the European Commission's Carbon Management Strategy, its new policy approach to industrial CO₂ emissions reduction. The approach highlights the storage of biogenic CO₂ and the development of CO₂ transport infrastructure as major strategic paths. Cemex said that it will assist in the design and implementation of actions under the Carbon Management Strategy. In its European cement operations, Cemex reduced its CO₂ intensity by 45% in 2023 compared to 1990 levels, and aims to achieve a 55% reduction by 2030. The producer called for ‘the completion of the policy landscape’ in complement to the industry’s on-going efforts towards full decarbonisation.

Cemex Europe, Middle East and Africa director communications, public affairs and social impact Martin Casey said “The strategy is comprehensive and outlines relevant fields of action, but what is essential now is a timely implementation. For companies to move forward, the regulatory framework regarding carbon capture and utilisation or storage, along with carbon accounting and removals, must be completed as a matter of the utmost urgency. The cement plant of 2030 is planned and designed today.”

Latvia: Schwenk Latvija plans to build a 750,000t/yr carbon capture system at its 2Mt/yr Brocēni cement plant. The producer has hired Norway-based Capsol Technologies to conduct a CapsolEoP carbon capture feasibility study at the plant. Schwenk Latvija is a member of the CCS Baltic Consortium, which achieved provisional inclusion on the European Commission’s list of Projects of Common Interest in November 2023.

Schwenk Northern Europe CEO Reinhold Schneider said “Checking the best carbon capture methods and how they can be integrated with our production process is a crucial task for us on the way to carbon neutrality, and likely the major investment direction for the coming decade. To that end, we are excited to investigate the energy consumption and the scale of equipment required for carbon capture at the Brocēni plant, if potentially partnering with Capsol for this challenge.”

Capsol Technologies CEO Jan Kielland said “We are excited to work with Schwenk, one of the most innovative building materials producers in Europe, which has constantly improved its processes to reduce emissions since operations started at the Brocēni plant’s new kiln line in 2010” He added “With this feasibility study, we are taking another step towards building a position as the preferred carbon capture technology provider for cement.”

Capsol’s project pipeline includes 10 large-scale cement projects in the sales engineering and engineering studies phase. The total CO₂ capture capacity of these projects is 11Mt/yr.

EU: Cembureau has published its manifesto for industrial transformation for the European Parliament’s 2024-2029 legislative term. The manifesto calls for an ambitious EU agenda focused on the implementation of the European Green Deal along five key lines: 1 - turbo-charging EU and national funding and developing national industrial decarbonisation plans; 2 – Rolling out the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to create a level playing field for EU industries; 3 – Building a pan-European CO₂ capture network and moving towards circular carbon feedstocks; 4 – Placing circular economy at the heart of industrial decarbonisation; 5 – Enhancing the EU buildings’ agenda to significantly cut emissions.

Cembureau said “The European cement industry was one of the first sectors to present a 2050 Carbon Neutrality Roadmap following the publication of the European Green Deal. The past five years were marked by the development of a comprehensive EU legislative framework and the launch of significant decarbonisation investments in our industry. Now, with the deployment of carbon-neutral cements within our grasp, we need to implement transformative measures on innovation, infrastructure, public acceptance, digitalisation and skills development.”

Spain: Cementos La Cruz plans to build a new unit to produce reduced-CO₂ cement at its 1.5Mt/yr Abanilla grinding plant in Murcia. In a video posted on YouTube, the producer said that the new unit will produce cement using supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) derived from industrial waste streams. Additionally, it will source 100% of its electricity consumption from biofuel-fired generators. Cementos La Cruz has secured Euro4.5m in European Union funding for the project.

General director Juan Luis Porrúa said that cement from the upcoming unit will have a specific carbon footprint below 200kg/t, and will eliminate over 400,000t of CO₂ emissions from Spanish construction in its first 10 years of operation.

Spain: Cemex España has announced its participation in the HYIELD consortium, which plans to build a waste-to-hydrogen demonstration plant at the producer’s Alcanar cement plant in Catalonia. The demonstration plant will process a total of 2000t of biogenic waste to produce 400t of green hydrogen for use as fuel, fertiliser and for other applications. The trial commands Euro10m in funding from the EU’s research and innovation funding programme Horizon Europe. Parent company Cemex believes that the technology being demonstrated at Alcanar has the potential to process 300Mt/yr of waste across Europe and produce 30Mt/yr of hydrogen.

Cemex’s Europe, Middle East and Africa regional president Sergio Menendez said “As part of its drive towards reaching net zero by 2050, Cemex is committed to partnering with like-minded organisations to explore the very latest innovations in more sustainable technology that can support the cement production process. We are proud to provide one of our cement plants in Spain as the location for the HYIELD trial and excited to see the outcomes from this research and development project.”

Greece: The EU Innovation Fund has awarded a Euro234m grant to Titan Group for its IFESTOS carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. Titan Group said that the project, the largest initiative of its kind in Europe, marks a ‘monumental leap forward’ in its decarbonisation journey. The company hopes that the project will help to promote the deployment of carbon capture technology in Greece and beyond.

IFESTOS director and project leader Aris Tsikouras said “This agreement solidifies our group’s role as leaders in driving transformative change in industrial decarbonisation across Europe. IFESTOS encapsulates our commitment to sustainability and innovation, forging a path toward a cleaner, greener and more resilient future for the industry, in line with EU climate policy.”