Displaying items by tag: Electricity

Vietnam: Major cement producers Vicem Bỉm Sơn, Bút Sơn, The Vissai, Thành Thắng Group and Xuân Thành Cement will increase prices from 20 October 2024 due to rising production costs from electricity, coal and packaging, according to Viet Nam News. A representative from Thành Thắng Group said that the company has recently faced a 4.8% rise in electricity prices, impacting production costs despite measures to improve efficiency and cut costs, like utilising waste heat recovery systems. The decision to increase electricity prices by Vietnam Electricity reportedly came into effect on 11 October 2024, with ongoing global geopolitical conflicts also contributing to rising costs for coal and oil.

The Vietnam National Cement Association said that price increases were ‘inevitable’, as cement has reportedly been sold below cost ‘for years’ and companies would likely not survive if prices were not increased to cover the additional costs. The list of cement producers raising prices is reportedly expected to increase in the coming weeks.

Argentina: Holcim Argentina has introduced the first 100% electric mining truck in the quarry mining industry in Mendoza Province, according to the company. The ‘Pure Electric Mining’ truck, belonging to the XGMT brand, is reportedly set to reduce CO₂ emissions by more than 225t/yr. It also claims to offer further benefits, including reduced operating costs and improved raw material homogeneity. The truck can transport up to 72t and has an energy recovery braking system, allowing the battery to be charged during braking to reduce energy consumption and improve operating efficiency.

Head of decarbonisation at Holcim Argentina, engineer Marilina Moro, said “Sustainability is at the core of our strategy, and as part of this path, we aim to reduce our impact on the planet. That means transforming each of our processes throughout the company's value chain.”

Kenya: Mombasa Cement will build a 20MW power plant at its Vipingo plant in Kilifi County, to help reduce energy costs. The US$19.4m project will generate 10MW of electricity using a waste heat recovery system and 10MW from solid fuels. The waste heat will be recovered from flue gases emitted during cement production. The plant has two clinker production lines. The power generated will be used onsite to support cement production.

Philippines: First Gen will supply electricity from geothermal sources to Holcim Philippines plants in Mindanao. Under the agreement, First Gen subsidiary Energy Development will provide 22% of the energy needs for Holcim's manufacturing facilities in Bunawan, Davao City, and Lugait, Misamis Oriental. This partnership is enabled by the Mindanao introduction of the retail competition and open access programme, allowing significant power consumers to select their electricity suppliers. Earlier in August 2024, Holcim announced an electricity supply agreement with Alsons Power to supply 80% of the energy needs for the two facilities.

First Gen president and chief operating officer Francis Giles Puno said "We are pleased to partner with Holcim Philippines to grow viably while decarbonising. It's not an easy journey to decarbonise and provide for a regenerative future. This requires collaboration not just through supplying power, but also through solutions that maximise and optimise electricity requirements and working to find a pathway towards net zero."

Philippines: Alsons Power has signed a retail electricity supply agreement with Holcim Philippines, committing to provide 80% of the energy needs for Holcim's facilities in Davao and Lugait, Misamis Oriental.

Edwin Villas, senior vice president and head of supply chain at Holcim Philippines, said “We are confident that our partnership with Alsons Power will help us achieve our business goals and sustainability aspirations. Partnering with Alsons Power is the right choice given its strong and trusted reputation for providing reliable and affordable electricity in its three decades in the energy industry.”

Canada: Finland-based Wärtsilä will provide a hybrid-electric propulsion system for an 11,000t-capacity limestone carrier, commissioned by CSL Group with China-based CCCC Shanghai Equipment Engineering and Jingjiang Nanyang Shipbuilding. The order supports CSL Group’s decarbonisation strategy by optimising engine and battery load and reducing fuel consumption.

The vessel is scheduled for delivery to CSL Group in 2026 and will initially operate on a hybrid diesel and battery system, transitioning to full electric power by 2031 to reduce carbon emissions by 90%, according to CSL Group. Wärtsilä will supply the whole hybrid electric propulsion system, including generators, DC hub, energy management system, main propulsion e-motors, bow thruster e-motors and battery solution.

The director of Electrical & Power Systems at Wärtsilä Marine, Torsten Büssow, said "Wärtsilä is committed to making decarbonised shipping possible, so we are delighted to be supporting CSL with solutions that enhance the sustainability of their fleet. This is a short sea shipping vessel that will operate with a lot of manoeuvring and variable load profiles, and electrification and hybridisation systems are the most efficient for such vessels."

Philippines: Cemex Holdings Philippines has entered a retail supply agreement through its subsidiary Apo Cement with Sem-Calaca Res to supply 44MW of electricity to its cement plant in Naga, Cebu. The agreement will remain effective until 25 December 2024.

Chair and President Isidro Consunji said "While cement demand is currently low, we expect it to rebound as our turnaround plan progresses, supported by the 'Build Better More' programme and the anticipated easing of interest rates next year."

Ukraine: The Ukrainian cement industry, represented by the Ukrcement Association, is urging the government to revise the recent changes in electricity import regulations under martial law. Following the increase from a 30% EU electricity import requirement to 80%, mandated by Resolution No. 661 on 1 June 2024, the industry faces heightened costs and technical challenges due to limited border crossing capacities.

The association said "Given that cement production is energy-intensive and it is the main component for military and civilian construction, we ask the Ukrainian government to return to the previous 30/70 proportion. This proportion will ensure reliable energy supply to industrial enterprises of Ukraine, which will help maintain the current pace of economic recovery in Ukraine in the face of military aggression by the Russian Federation."

The industry's proposals to mitigate the situation include reducing the minimum import share to 50%, enhancing interstate crossing capacities and revising the distribution of mandatory imported electricity purchases.

China: The National Development and Reform Commission, along with other government departments, has launched the Special Action Plan for Energy Conservation and CO₂ Reduction in the Cement Industry. The plan aims to cap clinker capacity at 1.8Bnt/yr by 2026, with 30% of it above the national energy efficiency benchmark level. This will reduce energy consumption per tonne by 3.7% from 2020 levels. The plan will eliminate 13Mt of CO₂ emissions and 5Mt of coal consumption in 2024 – 2025.

Thailand: Siam Cement Group (SCG) has begun construction of a commercial heat battery supplied by Rondo Energy at its cement plant in Saraburi Province. It will be the first heat battery in Southeast Asia and the first heat battery deployed at a cement plant, according to the company. The project is a collaboration between Rondo Energy and SCG Cleanergy, a wholly owned subsidiary of SCG. Rondo Heat Batteries capture intermittent electricity and store energy as high temperature heat in bricks, to deliver continuous industrial heat and power on demand. This installation will convert local solar power into continuous zero-carbon heat and power for cement production.

President of Rondo Energy, Eric Trusiewicz, said "Electrification of cement production requires a large-scale and low-cost energy storage solution, as renewables are not available 24/7 but cement production needs to be."