Displaying items by tag: Plant
MAN Energy Solutions to supply compressor system for Norcem carbon capture and storage unit
29 December 2021Norway: Germany-based MAN Energy is supplying a compressor system for a carbon capture and storage (CCS) unit being built at Norcem’s Brevik cement plant. The scope of supply includes an RG 63-7 type electrically-powered compressor train. The steam generators cool the CO2 mixture between the compressor stages and generate steam that is in turn used for capture. The project will be the first to use the ‘Carbon Capture Heat Recovery’ technology (CCWHR) developed by MAN and Aker Carbon Capture. This new process allows the heat emerging from the compressor system to be recovered and used as steam to meet approximately one third of the total heat demand from the Aker Carbon Capture plant. Consequently, MAN says that the system solution demands less energy compared with conventional carbon-capture technologies.
Alexander Sobolyev, Head of Standardisation & Solutions at MAN Energy Solutions, said: "As part of the Norcem project, the digital-twin-based engineering approach of MAN Energy Solutions has led to concrete optimisations. The dynamic process simulation showed that originally planned system components, including heating, valves and additional pipes for safe plant operation, were not required. The time taken for a cold start of the plant can thus be reduced from around 12 hours to 20 minutes – an important characteristic as quick-start capability is always a central criterion for renewable energies."
Zambezi Portland Cement facing renewed legal battles over ownership
28 December 2021Zambia: Zambezi Portland Cement is facing fresh legal proceedings over its ownership. The Lusaka Times newspaper reports that proceedings at the Court of Appeal are ongoing against businessman Phesto Musonda. Musonda, a former director of the company, allegedly attempted to take control of part of the company’s plant in September 2021. Unrest has also been reported at the cement producer’s plant with youths throwing stones at workers.
The current owners of Zambezi Portland Cement, the Ventriglia family, previously won a 10-year battle of control of the company against businessman Rajan Mahtani. In 2018 the High Court of Zambia awarded the family full ownership of the business.
Germany: Holcim Germany has published environmental reports for 2020 focused on each of its cement plants. The subsidiary of Switzerland-based Holcim has decided to target its reports on local issues by issuing separate reports for each of its four integrated plants in the country, at Beckum, Höver, Lägerdorf and Dotternhausen respectively. Each report covers national developments for the sector and the company. Local data is then included as well as data on connected cement grinding and concrete plants. The reports can be downloaded from Holcim Germany’s website.
Malawi/Zambia: Huaxin Cement says it has completed its acquisition of Lafarge Zambia and Lafarge Cement Malawi. In late December 2021 the Chinese cement producer completed the equity delivery conditions for Lafarge Cement Malawi. This follows a similar process for Lafarge Zambia in late November 2021.
In June 2021 Huaxin Cement said it had agreed to spend US$150m on purchasing a 75% stake in Lafarge Zambia and US$10m on acquiring Pan African Cement from Lafarge Cement Malawi. The former operates two integrated cement plants in Zambia with a combined production capacity of 1.5Mt/yr. The latter operates a 0.25Mt/yr grinding plant at Blantyre in Malawi. Following the completion of the takeover Huaxin Cement now intends to increase its cement grinding capacity in Malawi by 0.25Mt/yr.
Cemex’s APO Cement plant reported as operational following typhoon
23 December 2021Philippines: Cemex says that its integrated APO Cement plant in Naga City, Cebu is operational following Typhoon Odette. It reported to the Philippine Stock Exchange that the site had suffered property damage but that key production equipment had not sustained major damage. However, it has scaled back product dispatch due to infrastructure and logistical challenges caused by the aftermath of the typhoon. It also offered its thoughts to “those adversely affected by the storm and said that, “The safety and well-being of employees, contractors and communities are an immediate concern.
Goodbye to 2021
22 December 2021Two stories tie into larger trends this week as Global Cement Weekly says goodbye to 2021. Firstly, the state government of Odisha dropped a bombshell this week with its approval for an 18.75Mt/yr cement plant. Keen readers of the Global Cement Directory should note that, if built, this would be around the 10th largest plant worldwide and possibly the biggest outside of China. Credit to Odisha and India though for showing us how to end the year!
Odisha has been encouraging steel production in recent years. In March 2021 local press reported that Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel (AMNS) had signed a memorandum of understanding with the state government for a US$6.6bn steel plant in the same district. Notably, a more binding agreement was intended to be signed once land and mining leases had been secured. This week the state said that its High Level Clearance Authority had approved an enlarged plan with AMNS worth US$13.5bn. This includes a 24Mt/yr steel plant and a 18.75Mt/yr cement plant. Both are to be built in phases over seven years. No further word on those land and mining leases though. How this fits into India’s overall plans for net zero CO2 emissions by 2070 is anyone’s guess. Yet this is another cement project linked to steel production. Readers may recall that steel producer Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) Cimentos picked up Holcim’s Brazilian cement plants in September 2021.
The other story of note this week was Cembureau’s calculation that if the European Union (EU) emissions trading scheme (ETS) CO2 price reached Euro90/t then this could represent up to 15% of a cement plant’s production costs. The European cement association made the calculation using data from Ecorys, WIFO, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research for the EU Commission and Agora Energiewende. It wants the EU to bolster carbon leakage measures as soon as possible to fight rising import rates from outside the region. It is pushing for a delay to phasing out the free allocation in the ETS, bringing forward the proposed carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) and for legislators to tackle rising carbon and energy costs generally. It should be noted that the EU ETS price reached Euro88/t on 8 December 2021 but it has stayed below that level since then.
As mentioned at the start, both of the stories above connect to larger trends, principally the cement sector’s adjustments to meet its sustainability goals. A new cement plant with a readily available supply of ground granulated blast furnace slag, such as a potential AMNS unit might have, can reduce its clinker factor more easily than its competitors. One major story in Europe over the last two years has been the steep increase in the ETS price, and Cembureau is highlighting the problems this has caused its members. Global Cement Magazine has run a number of annual round-ups in the last two issues that cover these issues and others. Dr Robert McCaffrey’s news and trends list for 2021 from the Global Cement LIVE broadcast on 21 December 2021 pulls together many of these ideas and more and is well worth watching.
We’ll finish with a list of the top 10 news stories on the Global Cement website in 2021. This reflects what readers all over the world are interested in at a particular time and the list is also biased towards stories that were published in the first half of the year as they have had more time to gather views. Yet, note, new plants in Africa and South Asia, a cement shortage story, Holcim’s decision to change its name and the problems a European producer, Cementa, has had with its quarrying. All of these touch upon larger themes.
Top 10 news stories on Global Cement website in 2021
1. Dzata Cement bagging plant to open in mid-2021
2. UK faces short-term cement shortage
3. LafargeHolcim shareholders agree to change group name to Holcim
4. SRM Concrete acquires 24 concrete plants in Dallas from Cementos Argos
5. Bestway Cement to build new cement plant in Mianwali
6. ThyssenKrupp abandons sale of ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions cement section
7. Holcim launches new corporate brand identity
8. Swedish supreme court rejects application by Cementa to renew mining permit for Slite cement plant
9. Larsen & Toubro wins new 3.5Mt/yr cement plant contract in Rajasthan
10. ACC breaks ground on 2.7Mt/yr Ametha cement plant project
Enjoy the Christmas and New Year break if you have one.
Global Cement Weekly will return on 5 January 2022
Oman Cement opens bids for new production line at Rusayl plant line
22 December 2021Oman: Oman Cement Company has invited contractors to submit bids for work at its integrated Rusayl plant. It wants to build a new 10,000t/day production line (Line 4) and upgrade an existing line (Line 3) to 5000t/day from 4000t/day. The plans were originally released in September 2021. The company also intends to shut down Lines 1 and 2 once work is completed.
It was previously reported in October 2021 that the cement producer was spending US$300m on the project and that it had hired Switzerland-based PEG Resources. At this time the project had a commissioning date of 2024.
India: UltraTech Cement has announced its decision to temporarily suspend production at its Awarpur cement plant in Maharashtra after it became impossible to operate the plant due to the activities of sit-in protestors. The Times of India newspaper has reported that informal union Vijay Kranti Kantrati Kamgar Sanghatna (VKKKS) organised sit-ins at all five cement plants in Chandrapur district. The organisation is protesting workers’ pay.
Australia: Boral says that its emissions reduction targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) as being consistent with the levels required to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Boral released its targets in August 2021 when it said it intends to reach net-zero emissions by no later than 2050. It subsequently joined the SBTi’s Business Ambition for 1.5°C and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Race to Zero campaign.
The Australia-based building materials company plans to reduce its Scope One and Two emissions by 46% by 2030. It also plans to decrease its relevant Scope Three emissions per tonne of cementitious materials by 22%. It intends to do this by: transitioning to 100% renewable electricity by 2025 and increasing alternative fuels usage at its Berrima plant kiln; growing the proportion of revenue from its lower carbon concrete product range and optimising the efficiency of its cement plant; reducing transport emissions in its own and contractor fleet; prioritising lower carbon intensity suppliers; and exploring and testing emerging carbon capture use and storage technologies.
Boral’s Chief Finance and Strategy Officer, Tino La Spina, said “Boral is determined to become a leading innovator in sustainability through decarbonisation of cement and concrete and increasing our contribution to a more circular economy” He added “We continue to support our customers in their transition to net zero, broadening our range of high performing lower carbon concrete products to cater for all building and infrastructure applications, and offering Climate Active−certified net carbon neutral concrete.”
BUA Cement and Sinoma International Engineering commission new production line at Sokoto cement plant
20 December 2021Nigeria: Sinoma International Engineering has announced the commissioning of the new 3Mt/yr production Line 3 at BUA Cement’s Sokoto cement plant at Kalambania in Sokoto state. The supplier, a subsidiary of China National Building Material (CNBM), says that work continues on the plant’s upcoming Line 4.