Cutting carbon in Canada

Countries, individuals, companies and industries from around the world have made a clear commitment to achieving carbon neutrality. The cement industry is no exception. Significant discussion and action around this strategy is already well underway, specifically with the goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. This ambitious goal has been established by many international industrial organisations including Cembureau, the Global Cement and Concrete Association, the US Portland Cement Association, and the Cement Association of Canada. Simply put, the cement industry’s role in climate change will remain significant and perhaps challenging, with 60% of its emissions coming from the chemical conversion required in the manufacturing process. One company in this sector, Lehigh Cement, is introducing innovative carbon management solutions to lead the global shift towards decarbonisation.

Lehigh Cement, a division of Lehigh Hanson Materials Limited, is part of Heidelberg Materials, one of the world’s largest integrated manufacturers of building materials and solutions. Heidleberg Materials is leading the industry with clear global carbon management objectives including a company-wide target of achieving carbon-neutral concrete by 2050 at the latest. These ambitious targets have been reviewed and approved by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), which is aligned with the Paris Agreement. Through the application of pioneering technologies and innovative research, the company is confident its objectives will be met by lowering the carbon dioxide (CO2) content in its products, reducing clinker content in cement, recycling concrete, and capturing CO₂.

Heidelberg Materials is driving several projects focused on carbon mitigation across the globe.

These various projects focus on different aspects of carbon reduction and can in some cases be used synergistically to achieve meaningful reductions toward net zero. Innovations that are in various stages on the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale include post-combustion (amine) carbon capture; oxyfuel; lower emissions intensity lime and cement (LEILAC); micro-algae; hydrogen; and kiln electrification. CCUS (carbon capture, utilisation and storage) is considered an essential tool for the cement industry since the majority of CO₂ generated is unavoidable.

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