Global Cement News

UAE/UK: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has welcomed the first international agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, signed by 200 countries at the COP28 climate conference in Dubai. The GCCA said that the deal recognises the need for deep, rapid and sustained reductions in global CO2 emissions.

GCCA chief executive officer Thomas Guillot said “We welcome the progress made at COP28. Decarbonising global industries such as ours will take the collective effort of governments and industry, finance and policymakers, scientists and civil society, all working together. On behalf of our industry and alongside our members who represent the majority of cement production globally, we participated in the preparation and launch of a number of key initiatives that will help enable the shift to net zero – including the Industrial Transition Accelerator, Cement Breakthrough, and Carbon Management Challenge.” He added “We are fully committed to decarbonising our sector and have a detailed net zero commitment and pathway which we are already working towards, including the substitution of fossil fuels, the use of renewable energy and the deployment of new technologies such as CCUS.”

World: Carbon capture technology developer Nuada has entered into partnerships with four global cement market leaders. Cementos Argos, Cementos Molins, Holcim and Siam Cement Group (SCG) will all collaborate with Nuada to evaluate its latest carbon capture system for use in cement plants. The parties concluded the agreements with the support of the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), through its Innovandi Open Challenge.

Cementos Argos future tech leader Daniel Duque said “The GCCA Innovandi Open Challenge is a tremendous initiative where cement players collaborate with innovative companies that are developing the technologies and business models of a low CO₂ construction industry. Nuada technology is a very interesting proposal with great potential.”

Cementos Molins’ chief innovation officer, Ignacio Machimbarrena, said “We are steadfast in our commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Acknowledging the crucial role of carbon capture in this mission, we see Nuada's innovative Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) technology as a promising solution. Cementos Molins is fully dedicated to supporting this pioneering technology and collaborating with industry partners to pave the way for a greener future.”

Holcim’s global head of research and development, Edelio Bermejo, said “With carbon capture projects around the world and a commitment to invest US$2.28bn by 2030, we are leading our industry’s transition to a net-zero future. Partnering with Nuada will facilitate the testing and accelerate the deployment of their technology, ultimately supporting the scaling up of carbon capture efforts. We look forward to continued innovation and collaboration within the industry towards the goal of a net-zero future.”

SCG carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) director Surachai Vangrattanachai said "Collaborating with Nuada has been instrumental in our pursuit of innovative solutions. Their commitment to advancing technology aligns seamlessly with SCG's vision for sustainable progress. Together, we aim to pioneer transformative initiatives that drive us closer to net zero emissions.”

The GCCA’s cement, innovation and ESG director Claude Loréa said “This announcement is a testament to the success of the GCCA’s pioneering Innovandi Open Challenge Programme. It’s great to see Nuada – one of the first start-ups we worked with when we launched the programme in 2021, going from strength to strength, and helping to develop the vital carbon capture technology our industry needs to help us achieve net zero by 2050.”

Nuada co-chief executive director Conor Hamill said “The commitment of these major cement players to collaborate with Nuada attests to the potential of our carbon capture innovation as a cornerstone solution for low-carbon cement, and we eagerly anticipate working together to accelerate its deployment.”

Poland: The European Commission has granted Lafarge Polska, Air Liquide Polska and energy provider Orlen Euro2.54m in funding for their construction of a 3Mt/yr CO₂ terminal in Gdansk, Pomeranian Voivodeship. The terminal will transmit captured CO₂ from local industrial sites, including 1Mt/yr from Lafarge Polska’s Kujawy w Blelawach cement plant in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, for sequestration below the North Sea. ISB News has reported that the partners will use the European Union funding to complete plans, including front-end engineering design, for the terminal.

US: France-based Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with a partner in the US to build and operate ‘several’ new units to produce its clinkerless cement in Florida. Business Wire News has reported that the units will employ the same model as Hoffmann Green France Cement Technologies’ existing H2 unit in France.

Hoffmann Green Cement Technologies co-founders Julien Blanchard and David Hoffmann said "Following on from the contract signed with Shurfah in Saudi Arabia a few weeks ago, we are delighted to continue our international expansion with the announcement of this future site in the United States. This agreement with a Florida-based partner demonstrates the appeal, beyond our borders, of our clinker-free cement and our vertical production model. We are proud to be working alongside our partner to decarbonise the construction sector in a state as strategic as Florida, the third most populous state in the US.”

India: UltraTech Cement plans to more than double the share of renewable electricity in its energy mix to 60% by the 2026 financial year, which will end on 31 March 2026, from 22% at present. Asian News International has reported that the group plans to reach 85% renewable energy use by 2030. It presently has 691MW-worth of installed renewable power capacity, comprised of 429MW of contracted renewable power plants and 262MW of waste heat recovery (WHR) plants. Other decarbonisation technologies in UltraTech Cement’s operations besides renewable power include its use of compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas as vehicle fuel.