The time for decarbonisation in the cement industry is now.

Sustainability has become the core of strategy and innovation for leaders across the cement industry, primarily due to the increasing global emphasis on environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria among stakeholders. Investors, regulators and the public are now more conscious of the environmental impacts of industrial activities, enabling cement manufacturing companies to adopt sustainable practices as a fundamental aspect of their operations.

Manufacturers have clear commitments to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This will also help to decarbonise the value chains in the city infrastructure and construction ecosystem, contributing to deliver sustainable architectures and buildings.

How cement production businesses adapt, operationalise and integrate sustainability and emission reduction into their processes will define successful resource companies in the future.

“This shift is not merely about compliance—it’s about securing a competitive advantage and ensuring long term viability in a resource-constrained world “

Ashutosh DAVE – Green Cement Consultant, Schneider Electric

Technology is the solution

Accelerating the transition to “green sustainable processes” is it possible today through digitally integrated solutions combining unified electrification and advanced automation strategies, leveraging digital energy, ESS, renewables and microgrids.

Schneider Electric helps cement manufacturers to define and manage this cultural and technological transformation, becoming real Impact Makers. Our approach considers three different pathways to reach cleaner practices and differentiates between existing and to-be-created production capacity and level of investment:

  • achieve an abatement potential up to 15 per cent on existing assets using incremental levers
  • accomplish up to 30 per cent abatement potential on existing assets with investments
  • realise up to 50 per cent abatement potential on new assets.

From existing mature technologies, such as energy efficiency solutions or fuel savings by creating self-learning models of a kiln’s heat profile and optimising the shape and intensity of the kiln flame, to newer technologies such as CCUS, incorporating alternative fuels in the kiln to replace fossil fuels, such as waste and biomass, and clinker substitution, or the shift to alternative building materials, which can result in up to 50 per cent emissions reduction, as it implies moving away from fossil fuels to clean energy sources. 

Innovative case studies

Some of our Impact Makers customers have already embraced the journey:

  • 11-17 per cent improvement in cement grinding energy efficiency and savings, equals profit of US$6m in a first year, with AVEVA PI (Unacem)
  • 14 per cent reduction in utility costs with strategic energy sourcing (global construction materials manufacturer, USA)
  • Electricity costs savings of almost EUR600,000 and standard coal consumption reduced to less than 100kg/t at a plant with digitised energy and process for power and process efficiency (Gansu Qilianshan Cement)
  • Up to 50 per cent reduction of CO2 emissions1 (gas-insulated switchgear with eco-efficient gas mixture)  (EWZ)

Download this paper and discover key strategies to reduce carbon emissions in cement manufacturing.

You will learn about:

  • evolving decarbonisation technologies
  • actionable steps to define the decarbonisation roadmap
  • combining evolutionary and revolutionary methods.