Boral Ltd has secured AU$25m (US$16.68m) in NSW Government funding to accelerate its transition from coal to alternative fuels at the Berrima Cement works, a key step in the company’s broader decarbonisation strategy. Announced on 12 December in Sydney, the project aims to deliver up to 60 per cent thermal energy substitution at the kiln, cutting an estimated 1.6Mt of Scope 1 emissions over its lifespan.
Funded through the NSW High Emitting Industries Grant program, the initiative will significantly reduce the plant’s carbon footprint while diverting around 73,000t of waste from landfill each year. Berrima—responsible for supplying up to 40 per cent of cement in NSW and the ACT—generates roughly 35 per cent of its Scope 1 emissions from fuel combustion, with the remainder arising from calcination during clinker production.
Boral CEO Vik Bansal described the grant as a critical milestone for safeguarding Australia’s local cement industry amid tightening emissions requirements under the Safeguard Mechanism. He reiterated the need for a Carbon Border Adjustment to protect domestic producers from lower-cost, high-emission imports.
Head of Sustainability and Innovation Dr Ali Nezhad said the project strengthens long-term manufacturing capability and positions NSW’s only integrated cement facility to remain competitive in a net-zero future. Boral plans to share its findings sector-wide to support broader industry transition.
