Displaying items by tag: Government
US Department of Energy grants C-Crete Technologies US$2m
17 October 2023US: The US Department of Energy has awarded C-Crete Technologies US$2m in funding. C-Crete Technologies is developing a method for using CO2 captured at industrial sources or from the air as an ingredient in its cement-free concrete. The binder will produce almost no CO2 and continue to absorb more CO2 from the air over time. It offers scalability and cost-parity with conventional cement for concrete producers, according to the developer.
C-Crete Technologies president Rouzbeh Savary said “We are committed to crafting a cement-free, carbon-negative ready-mix concrete that doesn’t just mitigate CO2 emissions but actively contributes to reversing climate change. Our aim is nothing short of revolutionising this hard-to-abate, carbon-heavy sector.”
Afghan government appoints Al-Falah Global and International Task Group for Jabal Siraj cement plant expansion
13 October 2023Afghanistan: Qatar-based Al-Falah Global and International Task Group has won a government contract to expand Jabal Siraj cement plant. Local engineering firm Awfi Bahram will also collaborate on the project. BBC Monitoring South Asia has reported that the work will increase the plant’s capacity by a factor of 50 to 1.5Mt/yr from 30,000t/yr. The total cost of the project is US$220m.
India: A report by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), funded by power provider BP, has estimated that India’s cement and steel sectors will require capital expenditure (CAPEX) investments of US$627bn in order to reach net zero CO2 emissions. The report stated that waste heat recovery (WHR) and other efficiency-enhancing upgrades to cement plants can immediately reduce the industry’s emissions by 32%.
United News of India has reported that CEEW CEO Arunabha Ghosh said "Incentivising renewable energy will play a pivotal role in decarbonisation, through lower or no transmission charges at central and state levels. The government of India should develop a policy for and expedite the establishment of a carbon capture, utilisation and storage ecosystem to abate more than half of the emissions from the existing steel and cement plants.” Ghosh added “Since hydrogen will play a key role in its implementation, the next phase of the National Green Hydrogen Mission should focus on this agenda."
Pakistan government to increase natural gas tariffs
11 October 2023Pakistan: The Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) is preparing a proposal for a ‘significant’ rise in gas tariffs in Pakistan. The Energy Update newspaper has reported that the rise will affect gas prices in the cement sector, besides other industries. The government aims to reduce the natural gas sector’s debts from US$10.5bn as part of a deal with the International Monetary Fund.
Tarmac and Cambridge Electric Cement participate in trial melt of Cement 2 Zero carbon neutral cement project
03 October 2023UK: The Cement 2 Zero project has successfully concluded its first trial melt of recovered cement paste in an electric arc furnace at the Materials Processing Institute’s Teesside campus. The project uses the paste as flux for electric steel recycling. Cambridge Electric Cement (CEC) has demonstrated that the ‘slag’ from this process can be ground into fine clinker that, when mixed with gypsum and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), produces net zero CO2 cement. The Cement 2 Zero project to produce CEC’s cement at an industrial scale launched in March 2023, with US$7.85m in funding from UK Research and Innovation. Tarmac will grind the clinker from the project’s trial melts for testing in order to obtain certification and specification as a usable cement product.
China Energy International Group Samarkand Cement installs kiln at upcoming Samarkand cement plant
02 October 2023Uzbekistan: China Energy International Group Samarkand Cement has installed a 3Mt/yr kiln at its upcoming Samarkand cement plant. Local press has reported that the kiln is the largest at a cement plant in Uzbekistan. The Samarkand plant will cost US$313m to build. Parent company China Energy and the government of Uzbekistan previously indicated that construction would conclude in 2024. The plant will produce ordinary Portland cement (OPC) of the local designations M-400 and M-500. It will use coal as fuel in its cement production and directly employ 500 people.
EU: The EU launched the transitional phase of its carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) on 1 October 2023. Parties that import cement - and five other commodities - into the EU must now show the embodied CO2 emissions of their products.
The transition comes ahead of the full implementation of the CBAM in January 2026. At this point, those importing cement into the region will have to pay for the embodied CO2 of their products in order for them to enter the EU Common Market. Producers within the EU already pay for a proportion of emissions under the auspices of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
The intention of the CBAM is to reduce the risk of 'carbon leakage' as the costs of making cement rise in the EU due to changes in the ETS. While cement producers, as heavy CO2 emitters, are currently shielded from the full cost of their emissions, the number of free allowances they receive is set to fall substantially by 2026. At the same time, the cost of emitting a tonne of CO2 under the ETS, currently Euro80-90/t on the open market, is widely expected to rise.
Democratic Republic of Congo government bans cement imports
02 October 2023Democratic Republic of Congo: The government banned new imports of cement into the country on 30 September 2023. Local press has reported that the measure aims to protect local cement production and to move the country away from its dependence on imports.
Kongo-Central provincial government spokesperson Anne-Marie Tsasa said “Despite this ban, the circulation and sale of said products is noted in Kongo-Central province. The services working at the borders are invited to fight against this fraudulent practice.”
Qatar National Cement may invest in Uzbekistan
02 October 2023Uzbekistan/Qatar: Qatar National Cement has been named among businesses that have attended meetings with the Uzbekistan Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade. UzDaily News has reported that the minister is visiting Qatar for talks with his Qatari counterpart, as well as ‘large companies’ from the heavy industry, energy and food sectors. The Uzbekistan government is reportedly evaluating the prospects for joint implementation of large investment projects in priority sectors of the economy.
East African Portland Cement raises prices
28 September 2023Kenya: East African Portland Cement (EAPCC) has raised the price of its 50kg bags of cement by around 3%. It said that it made the decision due to higher input costs, according to the Standard newspaper. In a statement David Kilonzo, acting head of commercial at EAPCC, said “Due to the continuous surge in raw materials prices, operating overheads and our commitment to maintain the premium brand quality that our customers have enjoyed over the years, we will be revising our prices upwards.”
Switzerland-based Holcim holds a 42% stake in EAPC through its subsidiaries, the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) holds a 27% stake and the Kenyan government, through the National Treasury, holds a 25% share in the company.