29 September 2022

India: Ramco Cements has commissioned its new US$366m Kolumigundla cement plant in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool District. The Hindu Business Line News has reported that the plant has a clinker capacity of 2.25Mt/yr. It will be equipped with a 12.2MW waste heat recovery plant, 6MW-worth of which will be commissioned in October 2022, with the remainder to follow in 2023. A dedicated fossil fuel-fired power plant and 35km-long railway siding will follow some time in the 2024 financial year.

US: Thailand-based Siam Cement Group (SCG) has invested in Rondo Energy, developer of the Heat Battery. The cement company aims to help its various business lines to decarbonise their operations through deployment of Rondo Energy’s technology. Rondo Energy said that the partnership will support and earlier expansion of its product’s footprint across Southeast Asia and worldwide.

Rondo Energy chief executive officer John O’Donnell said “Rondo is excited to be working with SCG. Rondo’s technology opens a new pathway for SCG to achieve their deep decarbonisation goals and simultaneously reduce their operating costs. SCG’s deep capabilities in execution and quality will enable Rondo to deliver reliable energy infrastructure rapidly and at scale. Together, Rondo and SCG have the global footprint to deliver deep decarbonisation projects, including heat as a service projects in Southeast Asia and worldwide.”

UK: Breedon Group, together with Australia-based First Graphene, Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure and the University of Manchester, is developing a new reduced-CO₂ graphene-enhanced cement. The consortium is currently formulating the cement using varying doses of First Graphene’s PureGRAPH graphene-enhanced grinding aid. The project received a research grant from the UK government earlier in 2022. First Graphene says that the study involves one of the largest commercial trials of its kind to date globally. It is simultaneously collaborating on another similar trial with a Europe-based speciality chemicals producer.

On 29 September 2022, First Graphene launched its latest range of graphene-enhanced cement grinding aids and concrete additives. These join recent launches PureGRAPH AM, an admixture developed in collaboration with South Africa-based Nanoproof/Glade Chemicals, and HexMortar, a dry mortar mix which will be distributed by New Zealand-based GtM Action.

First Graphene says that its cement and concrete segment’s order pipeline totals US$113m in value. Managing director and chief executive officer Michael Bell said “It is pleasing to see our efforts, and those of our collaboration partners, coming to fruition at a commercial scale. One of the primary drivers for the adoption of graphene solutions in this segment is the reduction of CO₂ emissions. We’re seeing considerable benefits both in the immediate reductions that can be achieved through the use of graphene-enhanced grinding aids, as well as the potential reductions in concrete usage because of the enhanced physical properties these products provide.” Bell concluded “Working with industry-focused partners such as Nanoproof/Glade Chemicals, GtM Action, Breedon Cement and Fosroc opens the way to an estimated addressable market of more than 12,000t of PureGRAPH across the medium to long term.”

India: Adani Group plans to invest US$100bn in capital expenditure across all of its operations between 2022 and 2032. Mint News has reported that the conglomerate will establish 45GW-worth of new hybrid renewable power plants under the plans. It will also build three new green hydrogen plants, with a combined capacity of 3Mt/yr. It plans to support the latter move with an investment of US$70bn in the establishment of an integrated hydrogen-based value chain.

Russia: The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian government says that building materials are in high supply, but projected possible future shortages, beginning in 2024. The ministry named white cement as one product which it has adequately secured through new import sources. Russian construction remains dependent on imports, and the government says that it will look to further develop domestic production capacities of non-metallic materials from 2024.