Displaying items by tag: Sustainability

Japan: Sumitomo Osaka Cement will launch its new sustainability committee on 1 April 2023. The committee will promote initiatives to reduce the producer's CO2 emissions and help it to 'realise a decarbonised society.' The new committee will operate alongside Sumitomo Osaka Cement's existing corporate social responsibility (CSR) committee, which has been in operation since April 2020.

France: Vicat and Materrup have formed a joint venture to industrialise production and accelerate marketing of Materrup's Clay Cement 1 (MCC1) raw clay cement. The Le Moniteur newspaper has reported that the technology is based on a precursor and activator mixture which removes the need for calcination of the clay. Materrup said that this halves MCC1 cement's CO₂ emissions compared with ordinary Portland cement (OPC).

The partners say that clay has better long-term feasibility than other alternative raw materials for cement production, because global reserves are currently 2Tnt.

Brazil: Secil Supremo Cimentos has appointed FLSmidth to carry out a pyro process upgrade at its Adrianópolis cement plant in Paraná. The Denmark-based supplier says that it plans to carry out modifications on the plant's preheater, cooler and related auxiliary equipment. It says the new equipment will expand the plant's capacity to 3900t/day, corresponding to an annual production capacity of 1.42Mt/yr. It will also enable it to increase its alternative fuel (AF) substitution rate to 40%. Secil Supremo Cimentos' AF mix consists of shredded tyres, wood and other refuse-derived fuels.

FLSmidth's head of capital sales, Jens Jonas Skov Larsen, said “We are grateful for our continued partnership with Supremo, which has consistently invested in the latest technology. As the plant was already operating an ILC five-stage preheater from FLSmidth, it was well positioned to use AF.”

Poland: Lafarge Polska has signed a 10-year power supply agreement with Germany-based energy provider RWE Supply & Trading. Under the contract, Lafarge Polska will receive renewable energy from Windfarm Polska III on the coast at Sztum, Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is owned by German state-owned Stadtwerke München (SWM).

Renewables Now News has reported that Lafarge Polska is currently building a 41MW solar power plant at the site of its former Wierzbica cement plant in Masovian Voivodeship. This will cover a further 10% of its energy consumption.

EU: Cembureau, the European cement sector association, has lobbied the EU in support of a draft act for the setting of CO₂ storage capacity quotas for member states. It called for the simplification and acceleration of permitting procedures for storage sites. It also encouraged policymakers to strengthen the focus on CO₂ transport networks, ensuring fair access conditions for cement plants.

Cembureau said "Whilst a mix of technologies are needed to decarbonise cement production, carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) is particularly critical, as our sector faces unavoidable process emissions. A large number of CCUS pilot and demonstration projects have been launched by cement companies across Europe, with the first of them becoming operational as early as 2024. The pipeline of investments is particularly strong – for instance, the latest ETS Innovation Fund call awarded over Euro500m three cement CCUS projects."

Germany: Solid UNIT Germany, the German construction sector association, has launched its climate advisory board. The board will advise on and jointly instigate initiatives together with the Solid UNIT Germany management board. Its membership comprises representatives from the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB), the Institute for Sustainable Construction in Germany (ARGE) and the Federal Chamber of Architects, along with members of parliament.

Solid UNIT Germany managing director Thomas Zawalski said "To cope with the Herculean task ahead of us, it is important to bundle experience. Faster CO₂ reduction in the building sector is only possible through joint action by all stakeholders."

US: Holcim US has appointed TotalEnergies to install, maintain and operate a 33MW solar power plant and 38.5MWh battery system at its Florence, Colorado cement plant. By storing energy with the battery system, the plant can relieve demand on the grid at peak times. Holcim will receive roughly 71,000MWh/yr of renewable energy under a minimum 15-year power purchase and storage services agreement (PPSSA). The partners expect the new systems to reduce the plant's CO₂ emissions by 40,000t/yr and its energy consumption by 40%.

Holcim North America’s vice president for procurement Atl Martinez said "As we work to accelerate green growth across the US, it's critical that we come to the table with partners who share similar goals around circularity and renewable energy. This initiative with TotalEnergies demonstrates an ongoing determination to transform our operations and lower our carbon footprint. It's a milestone investment that will decrease our reliance on other sources of energy and shrink our utility costs through a powerful combination of clean energy and efficient operations."

UK: The UK government has committed to investments worth Euro22.8bn in early deployments of carbon capture technology. It will announce a shortlist of new projects for deployment later in March 2022.

The government said "This unprecedented level of funding for the sector will unlock private investment and job creation across the UK, particularly on the east coast and in the North West of England and North Wales. It will also kick-start the delivery of subsequent phases of this new sustainable industry in the UK."

Ireland-based Ecocem responded to the budget with a call for funding for more short-term areas besides carbon capture. It said these will be essential in order for the UK cement and concrete industry to reach its 45% decarbonisation target by 2030. The slag-based cement products company called for funding for low-clinker technologies which have already been developed and can be rolled out at scale before 2030, until carbon capture becomes a 'scalable, viable option.'

Canada: The city administration of Langford in British Columbia plans to enact regulations requiring all public and private projects to use reduced-CO₂ concrete. It plans to support the rules with parallel measures affecting the design of buildings.

Victoria News has reported that the city authorities previously mandated reduced-CO₂ cement for all projects in June 2022, but subsequently relaxed the regulations after only one company – Butler Concrete and Aggregates – completed the transition. Butler Concrete and Aggregates produces its reduced-CO₂ concrete using slag cement supplied by Lafarge Canada.

France: Estelle Bletry has taken on the role of sales manager for Holcim’s waste management subsidiary Geocycle. Bletry held different positions in Lafarge France between 2007 and 2019. She worked as product development manager and business developer materials and solutions at waste management company Hesus from 2019 to March 2023. Bletry studied marketing at IUT Cergy-Pontoise in Paris.