Displaying items by tag: Sustainability

Germany: Heidelberg Materials has celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding with a ceremony under the slogan 150 Years of Progress. Throughout its existence to date, the company has grown from 35 employees in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, to 51,000 employees across 50 countries.

CEO Dominik von Achten said “150 years of progress, innovation and expertise are both an incentive and an obligation to help shape a more sustainable future for generations to come.” He added “We also want to make this a tangible experience here in Heidelberg where our company is based. That is why today marks the start of our anniversary campaign New Meeting Points of Innovation for Heidelberg. In the coming weeks and months, meeting places will be created in the Heidelberg city area to encourage exchange and innovative discussions. For this purpose, we want to set up a total of 150 benches made of sustainable building materials, and plant trees.”

Europe: Heidelberg Materials Northern Europe has signed a collaboration agreement with Volvo Group for an investigation into the use of electric vehicles in loading and hauling. Under the agreement, Heidelberg Materials Northern Europe will implement a mix of its electric trucks and construction equipment machines in its operations. Land-based transport accounts for 6% of the producer's CO₂ emissions. Through electrification, Heidelberg Materials Northern Europe expects to eliminate 200,000t/yr of CO₂ emissions.

Heidelberg Materials CEO Dominik von Achten said “The partnership with Volvo is a lighthouse project in our industry and has the potential to significantly push the decarbonisation of our entire value chain in northern Europe. We look forward to working together to identify and implement state-of-the-art solutions for a fast climate transition in the construction sector."

US: The government has awarded a US$3.24m grant to Washington State University (WSU) for its research towards the development of reduced-CO₂ cements. The research is investigating new formulations, in combination with novel technologies aimed at eliminating CO₂ emissions. WSU is one of 40 recipients of a funding pot worth US$135m.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said "America’s industrial sector serves as the engine of the US economy, producing many of the products we rely on every day, but it also produces a significant amount of the nation’s carbon emissions. These projects funded by President Biden’s Investing in American agenda will slash industrial emissions and accelerate next-generation technologies for a clean energy future that’s made in America.”

US: Holcim US has announced plans for a 25MW solar power plant to serve 75% of the electricity needs of its Alpena cement plant in Michigan. The company says that the installation at the Alpena plant will be the largest in the US Midwest Region. Holcim US chose NorthStar Clean Energy to build the array, which it says will eliminate 25,000t/yr of CO₂ emissions.

Other planned projects at the Alpena cement plant include an upgrade to the plant's dock in order to accommodate larger vessels and reduce the number of trips in its Great Lakes transport operations.

Holcim US' senior vice president, manufacturing, Michael Nixon said “As Holcim is showing in Alpena, the path to net-zero carbon emissions requires a blend of proactive solutions. Whether it’s using alternative fuels or implementing renewable energy from solar power, we are committed to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels — a goal that will benefit the environment as a whole and the Alpena community we have called home for more than 115 years.”

Europe: The European cement industry association, Cembureau, has welcomed the enactment of the Nature Restoration Law, which aims to restore ecosystems through binding targets in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy. The European Commission says that the law provides a framework to 'secure the things nature does for free, like cleaning our water and air, pollinating crops and protecting us from floods,' as well as to help limit climate change to +1.5°C.

In a joint statement with other extractive industry bodies, Cembureau told the EU that member states' national restoration plans should take into account industry efforts to plan and implement nature restoration, that member states should protect pioneer species in line with the Nature Directives Species Protection Guidelines' definition of temporary nature and that restoration efforts outside of designated Natura 2000 areas should be addressed on a case-by-case basis in recognition of sectoral specificities.

Chile: Cemento Polpaico plans to invest US$67m in expanding its operations, with a focus on its Cerro Blanco cement plant in Santiago. Work will include the construction of a solar power plant and the expansion of the plant's limestone quarry. Meanwhile, Cemento Polpaico will upgrade the plant's kiln to increase its alternative fuel (AF) substitution rate to 75% from 13%. The upgrade will increase the production line's clinker capacity by 13% and reduce its CO₂ emissions by 20,000t/yr. Additionally, the producer will build a new 3000t cement silo.

Europe: Sustainability policy organisation ECOS says that the European Parliament must enact the recommended Sustainable Products Regulation. The parliament received the recommendation from its Environment, Public Health and Food Safety committee (ENVI). ECOS says that the regulation would submit cement to the EU's Ecodesign environmental impact framework.

Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS) programme manager Joren Verschaeve said “Members of the ENVI committee have voted to regulate one of the most polluting products on the market. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation will provide the cement industry with a stable and predictable framework towards decarbonisation.”

ECOS founded the Alliance for Low-Carbon Cement & Concrete (ALCCC), an association of companies focused on alternative building materials production, in May 2023.

UK: Carbon8 has appointed Paul Drennan-Durose as its chief executive officer (CEO). He succeeds John Pilkington, who becomes the non-executive chair.
Drennan-Durose holds experience in the sustainable energy sector with both public and private companies, including private equity and venture capital. He previously worked as the CEO of Ineo Partners, Powerhouse Energy Group and Heliex Power. Before this he was the managing director of Poole Process Equipment for seven years in the 2010s. Other roles of note include that of Group Commercial Director - Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific for SMP Europe and the managing director of PLW and Fiamm Energy Technology.

Carbon8 is a UK-based company that supplies carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) equipment. Its main investors include EDF Pulse Ventures and Vicat. Notable corporate achievements include deploying its technology at Vicat’s Montalieu-Vercieu cement plant in France, at an EFW plant in the Netherlands and establishing business partnerships with FLSmidth and Return Carbon.

Colombia: Cemex says that its Santa Rosa cement grinding plant is the first unit in its South, Central America and the Caribbean (SCAC) region to attain water self-sufficiency. The plant independently meets its water requirements using a 9000m³ reservoir, constantly replenished thanks to rainwater, runoff, and water circulation devices. The move aligns with the company's Water Management Roadmap, part of its Future in Action program. The achievement takes Cemex closer to its 2030 target of reducing freshwater consumption in its cement operations by 20%.

US: Holcim US has joined the New York Value of Distributed Energy Resources (VDER) program as part of its plans to enter Purchase Power Agreements (PPA) so that it can use more renewable energy sources. The scheme is intended to help support its investment in on-site renewable energy generation.

Atl Martinez, the Vice President of Procurement at Holcim North America, said “Holcim US is focused on driving significant progress to meet our Green Growth Strategy goals, so we consistently evaluate our environmental impact and opportunities to incorporate more sustainable solutions into our operations.” He added, “Through the New York VDER program, we support not only our ongoing investment in on-site generation but also community solar projects that help drive greener outcomes for all.”

The company will host three separate solar arrays on Holcim's non-mineable aggregate sites. These sites, operating in conjunction with various other offsite arrays within the Holcim VDER agreement, are expected to generate more than 80GWh/yr of energy. Energy generated from these sites will effectively power seven aggregate and cement sites through renewable energy credits.

Other work by Holcim US towards net zero includes its participation in the Northeast Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub program. The company has also expanded its renewable portfolio to include a 40MW battery storage system and 78MW of solar arrays in Ohio, Maryland and Arkansas. In late 2022, it entered into its first virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).