US: California-based Heliogen has developed concentrated solar-thermal plants (CSPs) with the ability to focus sunlight to generate temperatures over 1000°C by micro-adjusting mirrors using computer technology. It has now engaged Parsons Corporation to build arrays of its CSPs for installation in cement pre-calciners. Requiring 900°C heat, these represent the largest part of the industry’s CO₂ output. The technology will firstly reduce this by replacing fossil fuels with a clean heat source, which moreover entirely bypasses the electrical grid. Heliogen CEO Bill Gross says that the installations will make carbon capture and storage (CCS) of the remaining CO₂ emissions from the conversion of limestone to lime easier by removing other pollutants. Heliogen is now targeting 1500°C from its CSPs, which would enable them to supersede cement fuels in kilns.

Zimbabwe: LafargeHolcim subsidiary Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe has announced a planned investment of US$15.0m in a dry mortar production line to diversify its product base. All Africa has reported that construction will begin in January 2020.

The company stated that it will conclude registration of a US$28.5m loan from the reserve bank of Zimbabwe before the end of 2019.

Vietnam: The General Statistics Office has reported an estimated 9.6% year-on-year rise in cement production in November 2019 to 8.7Mt from 7.9Mt in November 2018. Vietnam News Brief Service has reported that, if December delivers on the previous month’s volumes, this would yield a production total for 2019 of 96.6Mt, up by 7.1% from 87.9Mt in 2018.

China: KHD has reported NO_x emissions consistently below 50mg/Nm³ at Tianrui’s 2.0Mt/yr Weihui integrated cement plant in Henan province, where its Pyroredox gasifying reactor has been installed between the kiln inlet chamber and preheater calciner. The NO_x reduction after several months of operation was 66%, while reagent usage fell by 78% compared to with the plant’s selective non-catalytic reducer without a Pyroredox fitted. No extra power or fuel was used and production was unaffected. The Pyroredox requires two to four weeks’ downtime for its installation and is now operational at multiple cement plants across China.