The cement industry’s energy challenge
With global cement demand expected to rise by as much as a quarter by 2050, the industry faces a range of challenges to produce in a more sustainable way. One aspect is to reduce its energy input to reflect tighter emissions legislation. By Fabio Mielli and Juliano de Goes Arantes, Rockwell Automation, USA.
Green construction and decarbonisation is expected to impact the way cement plants manage their energy consumption
Worldwide trends such as increasing population numbers and accelerating urbanisation rates will greatly impact the cement industry in the coming decades. The global population is expected to grow by 22 per cent from the current 7.6bn to 9.7bn by 2050. Of that total, an additional 2.5bn people are expected to live in cities, increasing the demand for solid urban infrastructure.
These changes in world population will directly impact the production requirements placed on the cement industry. Global cement demand is set to grow 12-23 per cent by 2050. Moreover, green construction and decarbonisation also impact on the range of production methods that are acceptable to society. To achieve these global emissions targets, and the required energy reduction in cement production, new policies and investments are needed.
