04 October 2022

US: Heliogen is among recipients of a total US$24m in US Department of Energy funding for solar thermal power projects. The department granted it US$4.1m-worth of funding for a project in which it will calcine limestone at 950°C using the heat of the Sun. Heliogen hopes to apply the methods it is developing to prevent the direct emissions of cement production.

China: China Building Materials Academy has patented a new 3D printing method which uses short rebars to reinforce printed layers. The developer says that this will enable builders to ensure structural strength without the disruption caused to 3D printing by the long rebars of conventional building skeletons.

China Building Materials Academy said that an 'inverted U-shaped or inverted L-shaped short rebar is vertically inserted into the cement slurry layer, wherein the bending mechanism comprises two bending members, separately disposed on two sides of a clamp.'

US: The US Department of Commerce has concluded a review of anti-dumping duties of imports of grey cement and clinker from Japan. The review established that the duties are necessary to the prevention of cement and clinker dumping. The department launched its review in June 2022, in line with legal requirements. Japanese cement and clinker have been subject to anti-dumping duties in the US since 1991.

Panama: Waste management company EMG has won a contract with Cemex Panama for the supply of solid recovered fuel (SRF) derived from commercial and industrial waste, beginning in early 2023. EMG is working to expand its SRF production capacity to 18,000t/yr from the start of the supply contract.