Displaying items by tag: decarbonisation

Global: Vattenfall and Cemvision have agreed to develop and supply low carbon cement, aiming to cut CO₂ emissions by 95% from traditional levels, according to Vattenfall. This agreement is underpinned by a letter of intent. The partnership utilises Cemvision’s technology, producing cement from recycled industrial materials and powered by renewable energy.

Cemvision CEO Oscar Hållén said "We are delighted to deepen our partnership with Vattenfall and to welcome them to our growing customer base. Already today in our demo production, we are reducing carbon emissions by 80%, and as we optimise processes and supply chain, we will reduce by up to 95% by 2030. Near-zero emission cement is the most efficient way to achieve significant climate benefits without increasing the overall cost of a construction project.”

Germany: Berlin-based AI startup Alcemy, in partnership with German cement producer Spenner, has produced a commercially viable low-carbon cement alternative named ‘CEM X’. This product reportedly reduces carbon emissions by 65% and has less than 30% clinker content, according to the company. The composition incorporates a blend of 33% granulated blast furnace slag and 37% limestone.

Alcemy CEO Leopold Spenner said "With 'CEM X,' we have reached a significant milestone on our journey to decarbonising the cement industry.”

Germany: Heidelberg Materials, in partnership with Linde, is constructing a large-scale carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) facility at its Lengfurt cement plant, set to start operating in 2025. According to the company, it will be the first of its kind. The project is named Capture-to-Use (CAP2U) and will capture 70,000t/yr of CO₂.

Christian Knell, general manager of Heidelberg Materials Germany, said "With the amine scrubbing technology applied here in Lengfurt, we are demonstrating the capture and utilisation of CO₂ on an industrial scale for the first time in the cement industry in Germany.”

Global: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have entered a partnership to accelerate the decarbonisation of the cement and concrete industry, focusing on the global south. This collaboration, formalised through a memorandum of understanding, commits both organisations to advancing sustainability and decarbonisation. Their joint efforts will include developing low-emission technologies, organising international events and promoting industry solutions globally.

GCCA CEO Thomas Guillot said "Through our net zero roadmap and the accelerator programme we have put in place, we are already working with policymakers, governments and industry to overcome procurement and resourcing challenges across the global south. Having this ground-breaking agreement with UNIDO is a natural progression which we hope will fast-track progress in a meaningful way."

France/Europe: Eurazeo, via its Smart City fund, alongside the EIC Fund and existing investors, is supporting Materrup with a €26m fundraising effort to expand its low-carbon cement technology across France and Europe. This investment will accelerate the deployment of Materrup's circular low-carbon cement plants using its non-calcined clay technology. Already operational with its first scale plant in Landes, Materrup plans to establish an additional 10 plants, in collaboration with European industrial partners.

Europe: A joint statement by Cefic, Cembureau, Eurofer, Eurometaux and WindEurope has called for accelerated wind deployment as part of a new industrial deal to further support the Green Deal in the European Union (EU).

The organisations say that Europe's energy-intensive industries, like cement and steel, are vital for the wind energy supply chain. However, they assert that current policies lack frameworks that effectively support these industries, which have faced production curtailments due to the energy crisis. Addressing these challenges is fundamental to a new Industrial Deal for Europe, aimed at boosting renewable energy deployment to reduce energy costs. According to the International Energy Agency, the growth in solar photovolatics and wind capacity from 2021 to 2023 helped keep electricity prices lower than they would have been otherwise. Coupling the EU Green Deal with an industrial deal is seen as a strategy to provide regulatory stability, encourage investments in decarbonisation, and enhance competitiveness.

Koen Coppenholle, CEO of Cembureau, said "Cement is a critical component in the construction of wind turbine foundations and their recycling, while the growth of renewable energy is indispensable to achieve the cement sector’s net zero ambition. We look forward to a good cooperation with the wind energy sector to support a strong EU industrial policy and help building the business case for decarbonisation investments," said Coppenholle.

Germany: Calix's subsidiary Leilac and Heidelberg Materials have formed a joint venture to build the Leilac-2 low emission cement demonstration plant at Heidelberg's Ennigerloh facility. Construction is set to begin in 2025, with the plant's commissioning scheduled for mid-2026. The Leilac-2 plant will showcase a module capable of capturing up to 100,000t/yr of CO₂ emissions from cement and lime production. Following construction and commissioning, Leilac-2 will be operated for up to three years to test the performance of the technology.

The project benefits from €16m in funding from the EU's Horizons 2020 programme and contributions from partner cement companies. Following construction, Heidelberg Materials may repay Leilac's capital contribution, and the partners will consider a full-scale commercial installation of Leilac technology at a Heidelberg plant. Plans for Leilac-3 envisage a significantly increased capture capacity, potentially capturing 0.5–1Mt/yr of CO₂.

Leilac CEO Daniel Rennie said "The formation of a joint venture with Heidelberg Materials for the Leilac-2 plant marks another important milestone for commercialisation of the Leilac technology. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Heidelberg Materials to demonstrate and deploy cost-effective solutions to decarbonise cement production at commercial scale.”

India: Dalmia Cement (Bharat) has signed a power purchase agreement with BluPine Energy to establish a 47MW solar power plant in Karnataka. The plant will generate approximately 94 million kWh of electricity annually and reduce over 85,000t/yr of CO₂ emissions.

CEO of BluPine Energy, Neerav Nanavaty, said "The solar plant in Karnataka will not only produce clean energy but also foster local economic growth and support environmental sustainability. This project will help reduce operating costs and improve energy efficiency."

Canada: Hyperion Global Energy has fired up its pilot Tandem Carbon Recycling System at Lafarge Canada’s Bath cement plant in Ontario. The system mineralises captured CO₂ to produce mineral components for alternative building materials. It has a capture capacity of 1000t/yr. The partners will test the Tandem Carbon Recycling System in producing Lafarge Canada’s 30 – 90% reduced CO₂ ECOPact concrete.

Lafarge Canada’s Eastern Canada regional president and CEO of David Redfern said "Our collaboration with Hyperion marks an exciting milestone in our decarbonisation journey and the advancement of our circular construction technologies. We look forward to advancing our net zero strategy by leveraging carbon utilisation technology like Hyperion's, enabling us to further reduce CO₂ emissions from our operations while at the same time producing innovative and sustainable building solutions."

Hyperion CEO Heather Ward said "Working together with an innovative partner like Lafarge on this exciting pilot project allows us to apply our proprietary carbon recycling technology to large-scale industries, and make an immediate, measurable reduction on carbon emissions. At the same time, we are advancing our vision to offer a scalable and affordable decarbonisation solution for industry, and a market-driven profit incentive on the cost of carbon removal."

US: Representatives of the Portland Cement Association (PCA) and its members are meeting politicians at Congress to discuss cement sector decarbonisation on 12 and 13 June 2024. The PCA says that meetings will address permitting processes and new emission standards affecting the industry.

PCA president and CEO Mike Ireland said "There's a lot happening in Washington this year that directly impacts America's cement manufacturers, which is likely why we have a record turnout of cement company leadership in town for this fly-in. Our industry's top objective is to reach carbon neutrality. While our companies appreciate recent funding from the Department of Energy to assist in decarbonisation efforts, it's still challenging for them to make significant advancements due to a cumbersome permitting system and unrealistic Environmental Protection Agency regulations that could lead to eventual cuts in plant operations and staffing. As the infrastructure law is hitting its stride, the country needs more cement and concrete, not less. We're here to ask Congress to work with us to arrive at reasonable policies and standards that will allow manufacturers to continue to provide the resilient, sustainable building materials our country has come to expect."