Displaying items by tag: Sustainability
Cemex publishes Integrated Report 2022
28 March 2023Mexico: Cemex has reviewed its global sustainability and financial performance during 2022 in its Integrated Report 2022. During the year, the group reduced its specific CO2 emissions by 9% from 2020 levels and by 30% from 1990 levels. It achieved a target of US$1bn-worth of investment in strategic projects over a period begun in 2020. Projects included the execution of water optimisation plans at 20% of Cemex sites in high-water stress areas. Cemex co-processed 27Mt of waste as alternative fuel (AF) in its global cement production - 67 times greater than its own non-recyclable waste footprint - and achieved an AF substitution rate of 35%. Meanwhile, the group also reduced its cement's clinker factor to 74%. Its Vertua reduced-CO2 concrete range accounted for 33% of its concrete sales. During the year, Cemex launched the world's first net zero, fully electric heavy concrete mixer truck.
In 2022, Cemex recorded sales of US$15.6bn, down by 12% year-on-year, and reduced its debt to US$408m.
Finland: VTT Technical Research Centre subsidiary Carbonaide has concluded its seed funding round, having raised funds worth Euro1.8m. Lakan Betoni, which produces precast and ready-mix concrete, led the funding, along with utilities provider Vantaa Energy. Carbonaide will use the funds to build an industrial pilot plant for its carbon neutral precast concrete product at an existing precast concrete plant in Hollola. The plant will bind captured CO2 in the product at atmospheric pressure. The process generates 50% lower CO2 emissions than precast concrete production using ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Suitable raw materials include ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), green liquor dregs and bio-ash. In trial production, the use of GGBFS gave Carbonaide's concrete a negative carbon footprint of -60kg/m3.
Other sources of loans and in-kind contributions included Finnish state innovation fund Business Finland.
Mason City Cement plans alternative fuels upgrade
27 March 2023US: Heidelberg Materials subsidiary Mason City Cement plans to invest US$4 - 5m in upgrades to its kiln line by 2026. Upon completion, the work will enable the plant to achieve an alternative fuel (AF) substitution rate of 50%.
Heidelberg Materials' North America regional vice president of government affairs and communications David Perkins said "We want to be proactive as a company and really try to lower our carbon footprint and energy intensity, while recognising we have to be competitive." He added "We're a long-term industry on the cement side because of the investment that's required to produce it."
Portugal: Setúbal District Council has submitted its opinion in the on-going consultation process over Secil's plans to expand its Arrábida quarry in Arrábida National Park. The quarry serves Secil's Outão cement plant. The Jornal de Negócios newspaper has reported that Secil has applied to expand the quarry up to a total area of 117 hectares, and says that the newly expanded quarry would have less impact on the landscape and environment than it currently does.
Setúbal District Council acknowledged Secil's 'clear effort' in its rehabilitation of exhausted sections of the Arrábida quarry, as well as the company's importance to the regional and national economy. Nonetheless, it concluded that the proposed expansion 'is not compatible with the territorial management instruments in force, which are currently under revision.'
Japan: Sumitomo Osaka Cement will launch its new sustainability committee on 1 April 2023. The committee will promote initiatives to reduce the producer's CO2 emissions and help it to 'realise a decarbonised society.' The new committee will operate alongside Sumitomo Osaka Cement's existing corporate social responsibility (CSR) committee, which has been in operation since April 2020.
Vicat and Materrup launch raw clay cement joint venture
24 March 2023France: Vicat and Materrup have formed a joint venture to industrialise production and accelerate marketing of Materrup's Clay Cement 1 (MCC1) raw clay cement. The Le Moniteur newspaper has reported that the technology is based on a precursor and activator mixture which removes the need for calcination of the clay. Materrup said that this halves MCC1 cement's CO2 emissions compared with ordinary Portland cement (OPC).
The partners say that clay has better long-term feasibility than other alternative raw materials for cement production, because global reserves are currently 2Tnt.
Brazil: Secil Supremo Cimentos has appointed FLSmidth to carry out a pyro process upgrade at its Adrianópolis cement plant in Paraná. The Denmark-based supplier says that it plans to carry out modifications on the plant's preheater, cooler and related auxiliary equipment. It says the new equipment will expand the plant's capacity to 3900t/day, corresponding to an annual production capacity of 1.42Mt/yr. It will also enable it to increase its alternative fuel (AF) substitution rate to 40%. Secil Supremo Cimentos' AF mix consists of shredded tyres, wood and other refuse-derived fuels.
FLSmidth's head of capital sales, Jens Jonas Skov Larsen, said “We are grateful for our continued partnership with Supremo, which has consistently invested in the latest technology. As the plant was already operating an ILC five-stage preheater from FLSmidth, it was well positioned to use AF.”
Poland: Lafarge Polska has signed a 10-year power supply agreement with Germany-based energy provider RWE Supply & Trading. Under the contract, Lafarge Polska will receive renewable energy from Windfarm Polska III on the coast at Sztum, Pomeranian Voivodeship. It is owned by German state-owned Stadtwerke München (SWM).
Renewables Now News has reported that Lafarge Polska is currently building a 41MW solar power plant at the site of its former Wierzbica cement plant in Masovian Voivodeship. This will cover a further 10% of its energy consumption.
Cembureau voices support for EU carbon storage quotas
23 March 2023EU: Cembureau, the European cement sector association, has lobbied the EU in support of a draft act for the setting of CO2 storage capacity quotas for member states. It called for the simplification and acceleration of permitting procedures for storage sites. It also encouraged policymakers to strengthen the focus on CO2 transport networks, ensuring fair access conditions for cement plants.
Cembureau said "Whilst a mix of technologies are needed to decarbonise cement production, carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) is particularly critical, as our sector faces unavoidable process emissions. A large number of CCUS pilot and demonstration projects have been launched by cement companies across Europe, with the first of them becoming operational as early as 2024. The pipeline of investments is particularly strong – for instance, the latest ETS Innovation Fund call awarded over Euro500m three cement CCUS projects."
Germany: Solid UNIT Germany, the German construction sector association, has launched its climate advisory board. The board will advise on and jointly instigate initiatives together with the Solid UNIT Germany management board. Its membership comprises representatives from the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB), the Institute for Sustainable Construction in Germany (ARGE) and the Federal Chamber of Architects, along with members of parliament.
Solid UNIT Germany managing director Thomas Zawalski said "To cope with the Herculean task ahead of us, it is important to bundle experience. Faster CO2 reduction in the building sector is only possible through joint action by all stakeholders."