Belgium: The low-emissions intensity lime and cement (LEILAC) consortium has published the results of its LEILAC-1 carbon capture and storage (CCS) study at HeidelbergCement’s Lixhe cement plant in Visé. The study found the cost of CCS to be Euro14 – 24/t of CO2 captured. It found that full-chain CO2 mitigation projects incur costs are Euro39 – 80/t, depending on transport and storage selections.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) credits currently cost Euro62/t.

Germany: Aumund has announced the launch of its PREMAS 360° packages. The three packages – basic, advanced, premium - combine quality Aumund all-around maintenance and inventory management support, extended warranties, physical inspections, cutting-edge Industry 4.0 monitoring of Aumund and other conveying equipment, technical training, emergency remote support and consultation programmes.

Managing Director Pietro de Michieli said “With PREMAS 360°, Aumund puts customer service to the forefront. Our goal is to reassure machine availability and reliability through the simplicity and flexibility of a fully bundled maintenance solution, to be a partner to our customers assisting them to reach operation excellence.”

Poland: Cemex Poland has established a new 50kW solar power plant at its Pruszków ready-mix concrete production plant in Masovian Voivodeship. The company says that it is planning other investments to retrofit renewable energy systems into its operations across Poland.

Materials director Michał Grys said “Cemex is actively addressing the climate challenge by decarbonising our processes. The key to realising our ambitious goals is finding and implementing new low-emission products as well as more sustainable technologies and construction solutions.” He added “Photovoltaic farms are another investment by Cemex Poland in renewable energy sources. Currently, much of the electricity used in our aggregate quarries, cement plants and many concrete plants comes from renewable sources."

Mexico: Cemex has received validation from the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) for its 2030 global CO₂ emissions reduction targets. The validation attests that the targets conform with the Paris Agreement’s well-below 2°C global warming limit. Under its Future in Action programme, Cemex aims to reduce its cement’s carbon footprint to 40% compared to 1990 levels and achieve 55% renewable energy use by 2030. The company says that it has the global cement industry’s most ambitious 2030 targets.

CEO Fernando Gonzalez said “Climate action is the biggest challenge of our times. Cemex is taking decisive action to address it by defining ambitious emissions reduction targets in line with the SBTi, and executing against those targets.” He added “We commit to continue leading the industry in climate action not only because it creates value, but more importantly because it is the right thing to do. Cemex is building a better future, and that future must be sustainable.”

Madagascar: Kolos Madagascar has begun importing cement to Madagascar with the aim of staking out a claim in the country’s growing cement demand, which was 1Mt/yr in 2020. The producer says that this figure represents 7% decade-on-decade growth from 935,000t in 2010.In 2020, full-year domestic cement production stood at 150,000t. The L’Express newspaper has reported that the producer intends to establish its own grinding plant in the country. It expects to complete the plant’s feasibility study andnecessary research and obtain environmental and operating permits by April 2023 in order to commission it before 2024.

Kolos Madagascar general manager Tsiry Rasolonjatovo said that ‘quintupled’ sea freight costs were the primary cost of a rise in Madagascan cement prices. He explained “International cement prices haven't budged that much.”Rasolonjatovo added “Madagascar spends US$76m/yr to serve its cementneeds, and another US$7.6m/yr is swallowed up by additional transport costs." He estimated that, along with the realisation of other companies’ planned projects, Kolos Madagascar’s upcoming grinding plantwill increase Madagascan-produced cement’s share of domestic deliveries to 80% from 16%.

Kolos Madagascar is a subsidiary of Mauritius-based construction company Gamma Civic.

Portugal: Cimpor has announced plans for the establishment of 1MW solar power plants at each of its three cement plants in Portugal. The Dinheiro Vivo newspaper has reported that the measure comes under a planned Euro130m investment package in upgrades to its cement operations before 2030. The plans include the expansion of the solar power plants to a total capacity of 10MW by 2025. Additionally, the producer will install two waste heat recovery (WHR) plants with a combined capacity of 8MW at its Alhandra and Souselas cement plants. The company is aiming to reduce its indirect CO₂ emissions by 30%. It also has an alternative fuel (AF) substitution rate target of 70% by 2030 - compared to 3% in 2020, when it used 150,000t of AF.

Cimpor has previously invested a total of Euro7.2m in dedicated sustainability-related measures.

Turkey: Medcem has chosen Sintek Group to build a new 9000t/day production line at its integrated Mersin cement plant. Sintek Group’s part of project has a budget of US$128m, according to CemenTürk magazine. The supplier will provide civil works, mechanical equipment manufacturing, supply and assembly, technological manufacturing and assembly, structural steel manufacturing and assembly, auxiliary equipment supply and commissioning services. Medcem, a subsidiary of Eren Holdings, previously said that the overall project to upgrade its Mersin plant has a budget of over US$200m. It originally intended to start construction work in mid-2021, with commissioning scheduled for early 2023.

Dominican Republic: Domicem has signed an engineering, procurement and construction contract with China-based Sinoma Construction for a 3500t/day clinker production line at its Palenque plant. The scope of the project includes a production line, from raw material feeding to the clinker warehouse and the transformation of the cement mill workshop, according to Digital Cement. The Chinese engineering company previously built the first production line at the site. Domicem’s parent company Colacem said in March 2021 that it was preparing to invest US120m towards doubling the production capacity of the Palenque plant.

US: GCC plans to fully convert production at its 0.35Mt/yr Trident Plant in Montana to Portland Limestone Cement (PLC) in early 2022. The cement producer estimates that the plant’s production change will reduce its CO₂ emissions by almost 25,000t/yr.

“We believe that our industry must continue to provide the homes, roads and infrastructure that shape our world while, simultaneously, addressing the challenge of climate change,” said Ron Henley, president of GCC’s US division. “PLC is one piece of the puzzle to reduce greenhouse gases. Concrete made with PLC is a resilient material that easily meets the needs of our customers for generations to come.” He added that GCC signed the Global Cement and Concrete Association’s (GCCA) net zero pledge earlier in 2021.

Taiwan: Taiwan Cement plans to build 87.5MWh and 250MWh large-scale energy storage units at its integrated Suao and Hualien plants respectively. Once complete it will become the largest energy storage field in the country. The company will also install a 4MW solar plant at Hualien.