Africa: Geminor has secured a US$523,000 grant from Norad – the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation – to lead a project to convert non-recyclable plastic waste into solid recovered fuel (SRF) for cement kilns. The project will establish a hub to convert difficult-to-recycle plastic waste into SRF to support decarbonisation and circular economy solutions. The feasibility phase is supported by NORWASTE and Dikubu Water & Environmental Services and will develop defined material specifications, processing standards and supplier requirements while testing fuel performance in cement operations.
According to Geminor, Africa's cement capacity is expected to grow by nearly 77% by 2030, potentially adding 150Mt/yr of CO₂ emissions if fossil fuel dependence continues. Many facilities still rely on coal, and only a limited number of cement plants in Africa are currently equipped to use alternative fuels such as waste-derived fuels, SRF and biomass, though adoption is accelerating in some markets.
Director of innovation & sustainability at Geminor Kirstie Jones-Williams said “This project reflects our broader ambition to strengthen waste management value chains and support more sustainable resource use. As we enter new markets, we know there is a lot to learn, and working closely with local partners will be essential to identifying solutions that are both viable and meaningful. Support from Norad enables us to invest the time and resources needed to explore these opportunities responsibly.”
Tadesse Negash, Africa Project Lead at Geminor, said “We’ve been actively engaging with Norwegian embassies across Africa and are beginning to see where the path forward is becoming clearer. These collaborations help us identify where local conditions, policy frameworks, and industrial readiness align best to support sustainable co-processing of plastic waste."
