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Editorial comment

The march towards net-zero cement production continues apace. One of the latest headline-grabbing stories comes from Holcim and the news that it has begun construction of one of the world’s first carbon-neutral cement plants in Lägerdorf, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.

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The plant, which is expected to be commissioned in 2028, will rely on technology from thyssenkrupp Polysius and Linde Engineering to enable carbon capture on an industrial scale, almost completely eliminating CO2 emissions from the site. The process gas is to be processed into high-purity CO2 and can subsequently be used as a starting material in the chemical industry or as a raw material in other industries, or even stored if needed. This process will be able to cut CO2 emissions from the Lägerdorf plant by around 1.2 million tpy.

Elsewhere in green cement news, TITAN’s Roanoke cement plant in Virginia, USA, has received an award from the US Department of Energy (DOE) worth US$61.7 million to support the first-of-a-kind development of a calcined clay production line. The award comes as part of the US$6.3 billion ‘Industrial Demonstrations Program’, which is managed by DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) and is primarily focused on CO2 reduction. Bill Zarkalis, President & CEO of Titan America, stated: “We are honoured to be selected for this first-in-the-nation initiative in spearheading the production of reduced emissions cement, helping lead our industry toward a net-zero future through deep decarbonisation technologies.”

Leonidas Canellopoulos, TITAN’s Chief Sustainability and Innovation Officer, added: “This initiative aligns with our Green Growth strategy’s focus on advancing cementitious materials, harnessing innovation and novel technologies. Building upon the successful pilot test conducted at our Patras plant in Greece, we are now scaling up the development of low-carbon calcined clays. Our dedication to sustainable solutions propels us as we stand among the frontrunners in leading the charge towards decarbonising the industry.”

If you want to hear more about these kinds of projects in person, but missed the chance to join the World Cement team in Lisbon for EnviroTech 2024, then be sure to register your interest for next year’s show at: www.worldcement.com/envirotech2025 today.

Following the same formula of high-quality presentations, expert-led panel discussions, and multiple networking opportunities, all located within a luxury venue, EnviroTech is an unmissable experience for those wishing to be at the forefront of the decarbonisation discussion.

And if you can’t wait until then, World Cement will be hosting the fifth edition of our flagship virtual ‘Optimisation’ conference on 22 October. Featuring a keynote presentation from Cementos Molins’ new Chief Technology Officer, Javier Sueiras, and technical presentations from industry leaders on topics such as digitalisation, AI, machine learning, and process optimisation. Stay tuned for more details, including a registration link, coming soon.


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