PyroGenesis Inc. announce that it has signed a €815 000 contract with a European cement industry customer for the supply of a plasma torch system for the electrification of a calcination furnace.
The client’s name is being withheld for competitive and confidentiality reasons. This contract was originally noted in the outlook section of PyroGenesis’ second quarter financial results.
Project highlights:
- Purpose: using an electric plasma torch for a more efficient and cleaner method for high-temperature calcination.
- Scope: supply of proprietary plasma technology for integration into a calcination furnace, used as part of the cement production process.
- Timeline: delivery to client is targeted for early Q3 2026.
- Strategic Impact: supports cement industry goals to reduce emissions and produce cleaner, 'greener' cement.
The contract announced today is with a global leader in mining and minerals within the cement industry. The goal is to effectively use a plasma torch in a calcination furnace, a key step in the cement production process. For this project, the client is evaluating the use of a CO2-powered plasma torch. Of particular note, the CO2 will be captured from other processes and, in a closed-loop system, redirected to the plasma torch to heat the calcination furnace. The client will test the plasma system for 9 months, as part of an existing multi-year initiative that aims to demonstrate that electric heating can substitute fossil fuel combustion in the cement industry. The construction and testing of a plasma-driven rotary kiln, for permanent use in calcination on an industrial scale, is a central goal of the initiative. The integration of PyroGenesis’ plasma torch represents the next step forward from previous low kilowatt-power tests toward megawatt power tests.
A calcination furnace (also known as a calciner), can be used for the high temperature processing of limestone, quicklime, and trona, to produce lime, clinker, and soda ash, all of which are key components of cement, and which contribute to its binding properties, as well as to its strength and durability. Fossil fuel combustion and CO2 released during calcination are major sources of emissions in the cement industry. Approximately 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in cement production is derived from the combustion of fuel needed to generate the heat required in the calcination process.
“The cement industry is under mounting pressure to shift toward cleaner technology for their high temperature process steps,” said Mr. P. Peter Pascali, President and CEO of PyroGenesis. “Transitioning production methods, using plasma as a heating source, is not just a way to boost operational efficiency, but a vital way to achieve the sector’s long-standing net-zero emission reduction goals. Since fossil fuel combustion accounts for roughly 40% of the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions, replacing fossil fuel burners with plasma torches offers a powerful pathway to deep decarbonisation and efficiency gains. I am encouraged to see this growing momentum in the cement industry, as the cement industry is one we have targeted as a perfect candidate for the widespread adoption of plasma torches.”
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