Displaying items by tag: Government
Cemex Deutschland partners with Enertrag and Sunfire for CO2-to-fuel project at Rüdersdorf cement plant
16 July 2021Germany: A consortium of Mexico-based Cemex subsidiary Cemex Deutschland, Uckerwerk Energietechnik subsidiary Enertrag and hydrogen specialist Sunfire has announced a cement industry decarbonisation project called Concrete Chemicals. The project will see sequestered CO2 combined with hydrogen to produce hydrocarbons for use as cement fuel. The consortium has submitted a funding application to the German Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety for a trial at Cemex’s Rüdersdorf, Brandenburg, cement plant. This would help in the realisation of the plant’s 2030 carbon neutrality target. Alongside a 5000t/yr demonstration plant, the site will have a green hydrogen plant, supplied by Sunfire. When commissioned in 2025, the plant will produce synthetic fuels and other hydrocarbon fractions. The consortium is also investigating a methanol synthesis route using synthetic gas.
Europe, Middle East and Africa regional president Sergio Menendez said “We support the urgency of action to address the climate challenge and have committed to a 55% reduction in CO2 from our 1990 baseline in our European operations by 2030. Together with our industry partners, we can collectively transform ourselves into a CO2-neutral world. Concrete Chemicals is a promising project.”
South Korea: Korea Cement Association (KCA) members have agreed to reduce their net CO2 emissions to zero by 2050. To help them achieve this target, the state-owned Korea Development Bank has pledged US876m in investments in emissions reduction and green production upgrades by 2025, according to the Maeil Business Newspaper. The KCA says that 90% of local cement producers have increased their environmental, social and corporate governance investment and reduced their use of coal.
Vicat confirms interest in Egyptian cement market
15 July 2021Egypt: Tamer Magdy, the country manager for Sinai Cement, says that parent company Vicat is keen to continuing to invest in the local market. He noted that noted that the France-based building materials producer is a long-term investor with confidence in the Egyptian economy and that it has no plans to leave, according to the Daily News Egypt newspaper.
He praised the government’s decision in early July 2021 to introduce reduced cement production quotas. The group is also keen for the authorities to develop the Sinai region more, where its main market is based. Vicat has operated in Egypt since 2003 when it acquired Sinai Cement. However, Magdy also called on the government to provide subsidies for exports.
Portugal: Semapa subsidiary Secil is spending Euro86m on modernising its Outão cement plant in Setúbal. The Dinheiro Vivo has reported that the work will turn the facility into ‘the most sustainable cement plant in Europe,’ according to the company. It will reduce CO2 emissions by 20%, end fossil fuel use and establish waste heat recovery to supply 30% of the plant’s electrical power needs. The government has granted the ‘Project of National Interest’ Euro14.5m in funding. The project will also expand the cement plant’s capacity by 30% to 1.3Mt from 1.0Mt.
Chief executive officer Carlos Abreu said "We have the ambition of reaching carbon neutrality in 2050 and this project is a step in that direction. Others will follow." He added "The Asian and American blocs are not always facing that direction, but the path is made by walking... and we will get there." Regarding the timing of the project, Abreu said "Secil was a very brave company here. The project was decided in 2019 before the pandemic broke out... We kept it, despite the fact that knowing that the pandemic was going to be, and is being, very difficult, but we believe that we had no other alternative."
Hungary: The government has imposed a 90% tax on the excess profits of some building materials producers to prevent rising prices. It applies to companies that produce cement, lime, gypsum, chalk, gravel, sand and clay that had an annual revenue over Euro8.4m in 2019, according to the MTI news agency. Producers will be liable for a 90% ‘mining allowance’ on the difference between revenue generated using their own prices and threshold prices set in the decree. The threshold price for cement has been set at Euro56/t.
The government has also ordered that companies report the export of ‘strategic’ construction materials including cement, gypsum wallboard, gravel and steel products. The related decree also gives the state pre-emption rights for the materials that have been reported at a price "in line with their current market value." Failure to comply with the reporting obligation may result in seizure of the construction materials and fines up to Euro14,000.
Svante to establish new Centre for Excellence for Carbon Capture, Use and Storage in Vancouver
09 July 2021Canada: The government has granted a subsidy worth US$20m to Svante for the establishment of a Centre for Excellence for Carbon Capture, Use and Storage in Vancouver, British Columbia. The centre will consist of a filter production plant, headquarters and testing centre. The company said that it will help in the global deployment carbon capture and storage (CCS) solutions ‘at Gigatons scale.’
“Vancouver is the Silicon-Valley of carbon capture technology development,” said Claude Letourneau, the president and chief executive officer of Savante. “Lowering the capital cost of the capture of the CO2 emitted in industrial production is critical to the world’s net-zero carbon goals.” He added “The carbon pulled from earth as fossil fuel needs to go back into the earth in safe CO2 storage.”
Philippine Department of Trade and Industry launches new investigation into cement imports
09 July 2021Philippines: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has launched a new investigation into imports of cement, currently subject to safeguarding tariffs of US$0.20/bag. The investigation follows a request by Cemex Philippines, Holcim Philippines and Republic Cement. The Viet Nam News newspaper has reported that the Vietnam National Cement Association has asked the DTI and the Philippine cement industry to consider whether imports from Vietnam did real damage. In 2020, Vietnam’s export cement prices fell by 15% year-on-year. Its excess production of cement was 36Mt during the year, and its clinker prices were 20% below the regional average.
India: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of the Indian government has established the Cement Industry Development Council (CIDC) to coordinate the cement sector’s efforts towards eliminating waste, maximising efficiency, increasing standards and lowering prices. The Economic Times newspaper has reported that the DPIIT has appointed Dalmia Bharat chief managing director Puneet Dalmia as head of the CIDC. An initial task for the council will be to recommend steps towards securing full cement capacity utilisation.
Egypt: The Egyptian Competition Authority has approved a request by 23 cement producers for permission for a temporary reduction in their cement output by 11%, with additional cuts of 3% per kiln line. Reuters has reported that the reduced quotas will be in force between 15 July 2021 and 15 July 2022. Previously, two cement executives quoted by the source said that the proposed cuts seemed unfair on multinational companies, like them, that operate older plants.
Vietnam: The Building Material Forum has predicted that Vietnam’s cement export volume will undergo a 25 – 30% short and medium-term decline if the government of China suspends its stimulus package on infrastructure. The Viet Nam News newspaper has reported that China’s subsidisation of infrastructure and industrial construction totalled US$163bn in 2020, up by 34% year-on-year.