Displaying items by tag: decarbonisation

Europe: Sweden-based SaltX has signed a letter of intent with German engineering firm thyssenkrupp Polysius to collaborate on establishing 100% electric cement production facilities in Europe. The facilities will combine SaltX’s electric arc calciner (EAC) technology with thyssenkrupp Polysius’ material handling solutions.

CEO of SaltX Lina Jorheden said "Strong partnerships are essential for us to effectively implement our technology and reduce millions of tonnes of CO₂ emissions from the industrial sector. Our collaboration with thyssenkrupp Polysius is crucial for developing complementary systems to the EAC technology and building electrified facilities for our customers."

Sweden: Heidelberg Materials has successfully operated a 300kW plasma-heated cement kiln at its Slite cement plant, which it claims is the first of its kind. The producer has achieved 54 hours of continuous operation, with 60% CO₂ concentration in the flue gas. The aim is to reach 99%.

The kiln is part of the ELECTRA project, which aims to replace traditional combustion processes with electricity-based solutions, like plasma. The project consists of 17 partners from 8 countries.

Project manager Bodil Wilhelmsson said "It looks very promising. We started the tests at the end of last year and can now say with certainty that this is the right way to go: we will be able to produce clinker with plasma."

Fuel-related CO₂ emissions from cement production are eliminated because no fuel needs to be used in the production process. Instead, CO₂ is heated to over 5000°C, where it becomes a plasma jet that heats the material in the kiln.

Wilhelmsson added "The absence of fuel in the process means that there is no ash in the product. This means that a parameter that could affect the quality of the product if it fluctuates is no longer considered. So, it looks like the quality of the clinker can actually be slightly higher in this process."

Heidelberg Materials plans to build a 1MW kiln in Skövde cement plant in 2026, where further tests will continue.

Spain: Molins and Enagás have formalised an agreement to promote their Mosusol netCO₂ carbon capture and storage (CCS) project for EU Innovation Fund backing. The project will capture 1Mt/yr of CO₂ at Molins’ cement plant in Sant Vicenç dels Horts, near Barcelona, to be transported by Enagás for storage. The project will cost an estimated €590m.

Molins CEO Marcos Cela said "The Mosusol netCO₂ Project is an example of our firm commitment to the decarbonisation of the construction sector. Our goal is to achieve carbon neutrality at our Sant Vicenç dels Horts plant by 2031."

Egypt: Arabian Cement Company (ACC) has signed a €25m loan agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The loan will be used to assist the company’s decarbonisation efforts. It will finance the company’s alternative fuel capacity expansion and automation of its facilities. The company will also acquire and install a hydrogen injection system at its Ain Sokhna cement plant. This will reduce CO₂ emissions by 130,000t/yr.

CEO of Arabian Cement, Sergio Alcantarilla, said "This agreement with EBRD is a key milestone in ACC's sustainability journey, supporting our transition to cleaner technologies. The integration of the hydrogen injection at our Ain Sokhna plant will enhance operational efficiency and significantly reduce our carbon footprint."

Japan: Mitsubishi UBE Cement Corporation (MUCC) has developed a carbon-negative artificial sand product called ‘GX-e Beads.’ It is made from by-products containing calcium and uses a proprietary accelerated carbonation technology developed by MUCC to absorb CO₂ at 80 - 250kg/t from flue gas and other sources. A further granulation and solidification stage is then used to manufacture the final artificial fine aggregates, making it net-carbon negative. The artificial sand can be produced via a dry process at ambient temperature conditions. It requires no special reaction equipment.

The product can be used as a fine aggregate to make normal-strength concrete. MUCC says “…when used in conjunction with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) or blended cement, fresh properties and strength development equivalent to or better than that of normal concrete can be obtained. Therefore, it can be widely applied to ready-mix concrete and secondary concrete products.”

Japan/Australia: Mitsubishi UBE Cement Corporation (MUCC) has invested US$5m in cleantech firm MCi Carbon, becoming the fourth major Japanese investor alongside ITOCHU Corporation, Mizuho Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank.

The partnership includes a collaboration agreement focusing on mineral carbonation technology and a three-way memorandum of understanding with ITOCHU Corporation.

MUCC will utilise MCi's technology to decarbonise cement production in Japan through CO₂ emissions abatement and development of low-carbon materials.

The investment supports the commissioning of MCi's 'Myrtle' mineral carbonation demonstration plant in Australia.

US: Carbon capture firm Nuada and lime producer MLC (formerly Mississippi Lime Company) have signed a memorandum of understanding to demonstrate net-zero lime production at MLC's Ste. Genevieve plant in Missouri. The partners aim to contribute to a reduction of the facility’s CO₂ emissions by 95%.

Nuada’s technology uses metal-organic frameworks as a solid sorbent alongside vacuum swing pressure adsorption, which utilises pressure rather than heat to separate CO₂ from flue gases.

Co-CEO Jose Casaban said "Our breakthrough in carbon capture technology sets a new standard for energy efficiency, paving the way for transformative decarbonisation in hard-to-abate sectors like lime manufacturing. Through this collaboration with MLC, we are driving the next generation of carbon capture forward, setting a new standard for emissions reduction and sustainability in the lime industry."

Spain: Holcim, Enagás and gas supplier Saggas have announced the ‘CO2necta’ project, a joint decarbonisation initiative that will capture, transmit and store over 0.56Mt/yr of CO₂. The project will involve the construction of a CO₂ capture plant at Holcim's Sagunto plant in Valencia. Captured CO₂ will be transported through Enagás infrastructure to the Saggas terminal in the Port of Sagunto, where it will be liquefied and then shipped for geological storage.

UK: Cemvision has launched one of the UK’s first commercial applications of its low-carbon Re-ment cement technology at a STOREX self storage development in Sunbury, near London. The foundational slabs for the site employ Cemvision's Re-ment Massive product, which replaces traditional Portland cement. Recent laboratory tests have shown that the product achieves a 75% CO₂ reduction and a 28-day compressive strength, that reaches the C50/60 classification, compared to traditional Portland cement. STOREX and Cemvision have signed a Letter of Intent for further collaboration in the UK and other markets.

“This project is a landmark achievement for Cemvision as we bring the benefits of green cement to UK customers,” said Oscar Hållén, CEO of Cemvision.

Cemvision says that its Re-Ment Massive technology reaches different levels of CO₂ reduction depending on application and local conditions, with the product already having achieved more than a 95% reduction compared to Portland cement in demo production in the EU, according to the company.

Portugal: CBMI has signed an engineering, procurement and construction contract with SECIL Cement Group for the renovation of the 1800t/day clinker line at the Maceira plant.

The project includes the installation of a new firing system and a series of upgrades to improve energy and heat efficiency. The upgrade encompasses five decarbonisation measures, including a 100% alternative fuel design rate, with the aim to decrease CO₂ emissions by 30% compared to 2019 levels. This would reportedly reduce CO₂ emissions to 550kg/t of clinker.