Displaying items by tag: Hanson

Argos Honduras revealed this week that it has been testing the injection of hydrogen into the kiln of its integrated Piedras Azules cement plant. It has completed a pilot with Portugal-based company UTIS. As part of the process it has been trialling, it has split water by electrolysis and then injected the hydrogen and oxygen directly into the kiln via the main burner. The pilot has reportedly increased clinker production and reduced petcoke consumption at the plant.

Argos is far from alone in using hydrogen in this way. At the end of August 2022 Cemex said that it was also starting to use hydrogen at its San Pedro de Macorís cement plant in the Dominican Republic. CRH UK-subsidiary Tarmac completed a trial in July 2022 using hydrogen as an alternative to natural gas at its Tunstead lime plant. HeidelbergCement UK-subsidiary Hanson also ran a successful trial using hydrogen as part of the fuel mix at its Ribblesdale cement plant in 2021. The government-funded trial used a combination of hydrogen (39%), meat and bone meal (12%) and glycerine (49%) to reach a 100% alternative fuels substitution rate. In 2021 Hanson reported that fuel switching to hydrogen could help it reduce its 2050 CO₂ emissions by about 3%, or by -35kg CO₂/t of cement product.

Cemex appears to be a leader in using hydrogen in this way. The Mexico-based company started injecting hydrogen in 2019 and retrofitted all of its European cement plants with the technology to do so in 2020. It then said it wanted to roll this out to the rest of its operations. The project in the Dominican Republic is an example of this. In February 2022 it announced an investment in HiiROC, a UK-based company that has developed a method using thermal plasma electrolysis to convert biomethane, flare gas, or natural gas into hydrogen. The stated aim of this investment was to increase Cemex's hydrogen injection capacity in its cement kilns and to increase its alternative fuel substitution rate. Back in 2020 Cemex said that it planned to use hydrogen injection to contribute 5% of its progress towards its 2030 CO₂ emissions reduction target along with other measures such as increasing its thermal substitution rate and reducing its clinker factor.

As can be seen above there are a number of examples of hydrogen injection being used in cement plants in Europe and the Americas. However, there is very little actual data available publicly at this stage on how much hydrogen that the plants are actually using. For example, Cemex may have hydrogen injection equipment installed at all of its plants in Europe but it is unclear how many plants are actually using it. This is understandable though, given how commercially sensitive the fuel mix of a cement plant is and in Cemex’s case if it wishes to maintain a leader’s advantage in using a new technology.

It is interesting to see, in what has been released so far, the focus on doing deals with companies that supply electrolysis technology such as HiiROC and UTIS. A feasibility study ahead of the Hanson trial at Ribblesdale by the MPA, Cinar and the VDZ suggested that upgrading a kiln burner and adding all the necessary hydrogen storage and pipework could cost at least Euro400,000. However, this study also pointed out that the cost of hydrogen made a big difference to the cost of the CO₂ saving from using it as an alternative fuel. Hence the focus on the technology partners. It will be interesting to see how many more hydrogen injection projects are announced in the coming months and years and, crucially, who is providing the technology to supply the hydrogen.

For more information on the use of hydrogen in cement production see the proceedings from the 15th Global CemFuels Conference & Exhibition where presentations on the topic were given by Cemex and the VDZ

UK: HeidelbergCement subsidiary Hanson’s plan for the installation of a carbon capture system at its Padeswood cement plant has proceeded to the due diligence stage for funding from the UK government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The project is one of 20 from the East Coast Cluster and HyNet North West Consortium to make the shortlist for this phase of the approval process.

If successful, Hanson will be able to capture 800,000t/yr of CO₂ and produce carbon neutral cement at the Padeswood plant by 2027. It will create 54 new skilled full-time jobs.

UK: Hanson plans to install a C-Capture solvent-based carbon capture system at its Ketton cement plant in Rutland. The producer says that the technology reduces energy requirements per tonne of CO₂ by 40% compared to other capture systems.

Chief executive officer Simon Wills said “Carbon capture is a critical part of our strategy to decarbonise cement production, and essential if we are to reach net zero carbon by 2050. If successful, the C-Capture process has the potential to be rolled-out across other sites across the HeidelbergCement Group.”

UK: Hanson has signed a memorandum of understanding with Shell to work together to explore opportunities that help the construction industry’s transition to net zero emissions.

Under the agreement the companies plan to explore: using hydrogen for transport and industrial processes; using capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) in cement production; looking at lower carbon fuels and electric vehicles; digital innovations in energy production, consumption and efficiency; improving bitumen and asphalt technology; and renewable energy sources such as solar installations and batteries to replace diesel generators. In addition, the companies say they will consider the possibility of collaborating in future business opportunities or new business models, which will create value and scope for further decarbonisation.

Hanson’s chief executive officer Simon Willis said, “We are already working together on several initiatives to decarbonise asphalt with bitumen materials and innovations which promote long life, increased use of recycled materials, low carbon products and the circular economy.” He added that “Hanson and Shell have a long-established working relationship and are committed to sharing knowledge and resources to jointly work on projects that will facilitate our transition to net zero emissions.”

UK: Road building company Hanson Contracting has begun rolling out Causeway Ermeo mobile workforce management software across its operations. The technology will replace paper forms and workflows. The software connects construction sites and offices through digital workflows, with easy-to-use reporting functions. Hanson Contracting plans to also digitise its timesheets, risk assessments, plant inspections, holiday requests and other manual processes.

Business manager Chris Harrison said “There is a lot of excitement from our business improvement team for Causeway Ermeo. We are always looking for any efficiencies and lean improvements to make in the business, and we see this solution as a key one." He added “We want data and technology to be at the heart of everything that we do. It gives us better operational and commercial performance on-site and also aligns us with our key customer’s vision for the future, in line with the National Highways Digital Roads strategy.”

UK: The government has awarded funding to the planned HyNet North West low-CO₂ industrial cluster. The cluster will reduce industrial CO₂ emissions by 10Mt/yr in North Wales and North West England. It includes a planned 800,000t/yr carbon capture installation at Hanson UK’s Padeswood cement plant in Flintshire. The producer is currently carrying out a feasibility study at the plant. Parent company HeidelbergCement said that the project will play a ‘critical role’ in the UK’s transition to net zero CO₂ emissions by 2050.

Chair Dominik von Achten called the decision “A well-deserved recognition for the HyNet consortium and our colleagues working on carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the UK as part of this collaborative project. Cutting CO₂ emissions is a key priority for us, and we are delighted to add our Padeswood cement works to our growing range of CCS activities, as a key part of our pathway to reaching net zero.”

UK: 200 Hanson UK cement truck drivers have ended a one-month strike after accepting an improved pay deal. Construction Enquirer News has reported that the producer has retroactively increased drivers’ pay by 2.8% from 1 January 2021 and agreed to increase pay by a further 3.3% from 1 January 2022. Drivers’ overnight allowance will retroactively increase to Euro49.7/night from 1 October 2021, and the company has committed to a transformation of bank holiday working arrangements. Additionally, its management will share its fleet replacement programme with its drivers.

UK: The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has announced the successful completion of a trial of cement production using a net-zero fuel mix consisting of hydrogen and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) at Hanson’s Ribblesdale, Lancashire, cement plant. The RDF in the mix consists of meat and bone meal (MBM) from the food industry and glycerol from biodiesel production.

Increased alternative fuel (AF) substitution is one of seven key levers in the MPA’s Roadmap Beyond Net Zero emissions reduction strategy. The association says that the fuel will eliminate 180,000t/yr of CO₂ emissions from the Ribblesdale plant’s operations when fully implemented. The project received Euro3.71m in government funding.

Hanson’s environmental sustainability manager Iain Walpole said “We are delighted to be involved with this world-leading project, which is a further example of our commitment to cutting CO₂ emissions.” He added “It will also contribute to our ambition of supplying net zero carbon concrete by 2050.”

UK: Hanson has delivered 171,000t of cement to the site of the upcoming Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in Somerset. It has also delivered 1Mm³ of ready-mix concrete via the customer’s on-site batching plants, 5Mt of aggregates and 443,000t of sand. Its Port Talbot site in Neath Port Talbot has supplied 230,000t of Regen ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) for use in concrete production, reducing the product’s carbon footprint by a total of 200,000t compared with concrete produced using ordinary Portland cement (OPC) only.

UK: 200 Hanson truck drivers began voting on proposed strike action on 10 September 2021. Building Design Online News has reported that the drivers’ union, Unite, has proposed the measure in response to a ‘hefty pay cut.’ The HeidelbergCement subsidiary offered a 2.5% pay rise to truck drivers for 2022. The union said that UK inflation was currently at 3.9%. It added that a strike would lead to a cement shortage affecting some of the country’s largest projects, including the HS2 high-speed railway. Voting will conclude on 24 September 2021.