Displaying items by tag: Clinker factor
Ecocem launches low-carbon ACT cement range
27 March 2024France: Ecocem has launched a new low-carbon advanced cement technology (ACT) cement, aiming for widespread adoption in European construction projects. The ACT range promises a clinker concentration of 20%, lower than the current norm of 35% minimum.
Jean-Christophe Trassard, Director, Marketing of Sustainable Innovation, said "We achieve competitive rates by controlling granularity, the fineness of grinding and admixtures. We have also greatly developed our thinking on the addition of additives in our formulations, which required more than fifteen years of R&D and the filing of six patents."
This product contains locally sourced additives, with the capability to adapt mixes to regional availability. The ACT cement is expected to reduce water usage by one-third compared to conventional concrete. An ACT-based concrete reportedly emits 198kg CO₂/t, a substantial reduction from the 614kg CO₂/t for standard concrete in France.
Gaining market entry for ACT required European technical evaluation and European assessment document certification, currently pending in the EU Official Journal. Trassard added, "As we are dealing with clinker rates below the standards, we had to go through this certification, which gives us a very good passport for the European markets. However, local administrative variations will have to be carried out subsequently."
In France, Ecocem has already applied for ATEX certification to facilitate deployment of the ACT range, expected later in 2024. Ecocem aims to include the ACT range in standard norms by 2026.
Heidelberg Materials grows sales in 2023
22 February 2024Germany: Heidelberg Materials reported sales growth of 0.4% in 2023, to €21.2bn. The group saw its profits grow by 21%, from €1.72bn to €2.09bn. During the year, the company reduced its specific CO2 emissions per tonne of cementitious material by 3% from 551kg to 534kg and lowered its clinker factor from 72% to 70%.
Chair Dominik von Achten said "In the 150th year of our company's history, we have once again shown that we can deal with change and crises. I am extremely proud of our teams around the world, who have remained firmly focused on our targets and have once again done an extraordinary job." He added "We are entering 2024 with optimism. Although the general economic conditions in the construction sector remain challenging, we anticipate growth in revenue and earnings also in the current year. Our shareholders are benefitting from this growth thanks to the progressive dividend and the new, comprehensive share buyback programme.”
Lafarge Egypt confirms aim to reduce CO2 emissions by 2030
04 September 2023Egypt: Lafarge Egypt has confirmed that it is aiming to reduce its CO2 emissions in excess of 20% by 2030. Its key steps to achieve this include increasing its use of alternative fuels and lowering its clinker factor, according to the Daily News Egypt newspaper. Chief executive officer Jimmy Khan added that the company is also working on developing digital methods to reduce emissions by improving transport logistics. The cement producer launched its Shatbna Masonry Cement product in 2022, part of parent company Holcim’s ECOPlanet range.
Holcim has set a worldwide target to reduce its gross Scope 1 CO2 emissions from cement production of 22% by 2030 from a baseline of 590kg/t in 2018. It reported a 5% reduction to 562kg/t in its 2022 sustainability report. Ultimately the group is targeting net zero emissions from its activities by 2050.
Alliance for Low-Carbon Cement & Concrete launches with call for low-CO2 cement and concrete
30 May 2023Europe: 12 decarbonisation-focused companies from across the European cement and concrete sector have launched the Alliance for Low-Carbon Cement & Concrete (ALCCC). The alliance has called on policymakers to change building standards to help low-carbon alternatives to enter the cement and concrete markets. It further said that green procurement and targeted financing instruments would help to reduce sectoral CO2 emissions. It said that a progressive decline in clinker factor to 60%, 50% or 40% by 2050 will reduce CO2 emissions by over 50%. The ALCCC says that it is ready to lead the sector towards a swift, low-cost and viable decarbonisation pathway. Participants in the alliance include France-based Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies, Ireland-based Ecocem and US-based Fortera.
Fortera's Europe director Thierry Legrand said "Climate action is a global priority, and collaboration is essential to advancing emissions-reducing technologies and policies. This alliance represents collective action by scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and environmental advocates to reduce CO2 emissions from cement production."
France: The French cement association France Ciment has announced a new CO2 emissions reduction target of 50% across the cement industry between 2021 and 2030. The new target for 2050 will be 'virtual carbon neutrality.' The Les Echos newspaper has reported that the commitments replace previous reduction targets of 24% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. France Ciment says that its members are planning estimated investments of Euro5bn towards achieving the goals before 2040. These investments will cover areas including the deployment of carbon capture. Existing public and private investments in the industry's on-going projects to reduce CO2 emissions amount to Euro1.7bn - sufficient to eliminate 27% of emissions compared with the 2021 baseline.
France Ciment’s President Benoit Pillon noted the necessity of cement in construction, and called for 'decarbonisation as a whole: less clinker in cement, less cement in concrete and less concrete in construction.' He urged the implementation of policies to secure 'decarbonised and competitive electricity.'
Canada: The Cement Association of Canada (CAC), with its members and partners in the concrete sector, has released Concrete Zero, an action plan to help the local cement and concrete sector reach net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. The five priority areas it is focusing on include: eliminating the use of coal and petroleum coke as fuel sources for clinker production; reducing the volume of clinker used to produce cement; increasing the use of supplementary cementitious materials; working towards building carbon capture, utilisation and storage capacity; and advocating for performance-based codes, standards and specifications, procurement policies and increased material efficiency in construction. Targets include reaching a 100% fuel mix from non-fossil-based sources by 2050. The latest plant follows the goal of achieving a 40% emissions reduction by 2030 as part of its Roadmap to Net-Zero Carbon Concrete by 2050.
Adam Auer, the president and chief executive officer of CAC, said “Our net-zero action plan is ambitious and cannot be achieved by industry action alone. Working with government, industry, and partners in the design, architecture, and construction industry will be essential for success. Canada’s cement and concrete industry are committed to doing our part to help Canada build a better, cleaner future. Working together, we can deliver Concrete Zero.”
Holcim publishes Climate Report 2023
06 April 2023Switzerland: Holcim has published its Climate Report 2023, detailing the company’s progress towards meeting its sustainability commitments up to the end of 2022. The cement producer recorded net specific CO2 emissions per tonne of product of 562kg/t, down by 1.7% year-on-year from 572kg/t in 2021. In line with its 1.5°C climate change-aligned targets, Holcim is committed to 420kg/t specific CO2 emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050.
Overall, the group’s Scope 1 CO2 emissions from cement production fell by 2.5% to 77Mt from 79Mt, while its Scope 2 emissions remained at 5Mt and its Scope 3 emissions fell by 11% to 47Mt from 53Mt. Its cement had an average clinker factor of 73%, down from 73.6% in 2021. Holcim processed 6.8Mt of construction and demolition waste, up by 3% from 6.6Mt. Meanwhile, its thermal substitution rate of alternative fuel (AF) rose to 28% from 26%.
CEO Jan Jenisch and chief sustainability officer Magali Anderson said “With our successful transformation, we reduced our CO2 per net sales by 21% in 2022, and commit to reducing it by over 10% in 2023. Accelerating the shift to net-zero cities requires deep partnerships across our value chain. In 2022 we engaged with public authorities to evolve building standards, with cities to scale up green demand in their projects, and with architects and engineers to specify sustainable solutions in their designs. We did this as a key partner for our customers, bringing solutions that help them achieve their sustainability goals.”
Holcim Mexico launches Fuerte Más reduced-CO2 cement
30 March 2023Mexico: Holcim Mexico has commenced production of its Fuerte Más reduced-CO2 cement at its cement plants in Macuspana and Tabasco at a combined rate of 60,000t/yr. The cement offers 50% reduced CO2 emissions and 10% higher physical performance than ordinary Portland cement (OPC). The El Economista newspaper has reported that Holcim Mexico replaces some of the clinker in the cement with locally-sourced minerals from Southeast Mexico. Chemical compounds in the material colour the cement red.
The Centre for Technological Innovation for Construction (CITEC) Toluca verified the product as suitable for all applications. Holcim Mexico's industrial director Adrián Belli said that comparable green cements are currently only available in France and Italy.
Cemex publishes Integrated Report 2022
28 March 2023Mexico: Cemex has reviewed its global sustainability and financial performance during 2022 in its Integrated Report 2022. During the year, the group reduced its specific CO2 emissions by 9% from 2020 levels and by 30% from 1990 levels. It achieved a target of US$1bn-worth of investment in strategic projects over a period begun in 2020. Projects included the execution of water optimisation plans at 20% of Cemex sites in high-water stress areas. Cemex co-processed 27Mt of waste as alternative fuel (AF) in its global cement production - 67 times greater than its own non-recyclable waste footprint - and achieved an AF substitution rate of 35%. Meanwhile, the group also reduced its cement's clinker factor to 74%. Its Vertua reduced-CO2 concrete range accounted for 33% of its concrete sales. During the year, Cemex launched the world's first net zero, fully electric heavy concrete mixer truck.
In 2022, Cemex recorded sales of US$15.6bn, down by 12% year-on-year, and reduced its debt to US$408m.
Science-Based Targets Initiative validates Cementos Argos’ emissions reduction targets
06 January 2023Colombia: The Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) has validated Grupo Argos Subsidiary Cementos Argos’ CO2 emissions reduction goals. Cementos Argos aims to reduce its Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO2 emissions in line with a well-below 2°C climate change scenario by 2030. Its strategy includes increasing co-processing of alternative fuel (AF), reducing its cement’s clinker factor, optimising its heat and electricity consumption, investing in cleaner technologies, increasing the share of renewable power it uses and diversifying its product range to include more low-carbon products.