Rugby Cement Plant welcomes UK energy minister to explore opportunities for decarbonisation

The Minister was joined by his team from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), as well as Mark Pawsey, MP for Rugby & Bulkington, and a member of the influential House of Commons DESNZ Select Committee.

Building materials supplier Cemex, which operates the plant, hosted the visit to highlight the challenges and opportunities for decarbonising dispersed plants like Rugby, which are located too far from other large production plants to be included in one of the net zero industrial clusters.

Being part of an industrial cluster allows plant operators to work together, pool resources and pitch for the available Government funding to support decarbonisation. Yet only half of the UK’s ten cement plants are currently part of a cluster and some, like Rugby, are too isolated from other industry to be part of a cluster.

Decarbonisation at dispersed plants is just as vital as those within clusters if the West Midlands, and the UK more widely, is to meet its net zero ambitions.

Lord Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, said: “We have a strong cement industry here in the UK which is vital to our infrastructure, housing and urban regeneration. The Government has recently published its blueprint for a carbon capture industry, to assist important sectors such as cement manufacturing to reach net zero while supporting our construction needs. It was excellent to hear from leaders here in Rugby, a cement heartland in its own right, about the impact of this work and I look forward to continuing this dialogue with UK cement producers.”

Martin Casey, Director Public Affairs, Communications & Social Impact commented: “We were proud to welcome Lord Callanan to our Rugby Cement Plant, which plays a vital role in both the local economy and the wider national construction industry. Cement is a vital component in infrastructure such as hospitals, bridges, schools and houses so we must work together with Government to ensure that it can continue to be produced into the long term, while ensuring the West Midlands and UK meets its net zero targets.”

Cemex’s Rugby Cement Plant has pioneered the use of alternative fuels, including a multimillion-pound investment in 2022 to eliminate fossil fuel use in favour of waste derived alternatives, a key part of the firm’s global efforts to decarbonise its operations and achieve net-zero CO₂ cement and concrete by 2050.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/18012024/rugby-cement-plant-welcomes-uk-energy-minister-to-explore-opportunities-for-decarbonisation/