We have decided to take more incisive actions to progressively reduce CO₂ emissions, optimizing existing technologies and laying the foundations for potential innovations that will lead to the production of “net zero emissions” cement.

Our key actions to reduce CO2 emissions are:

  • Scope 1

    Scope 1 direct emission reduction

    • 460 kg of CO2 per ton of grey cement (gross)
    • 738 kg of CO2 per ton of white cement (gross)1

    1Note: special product with niche applications and markets (0.5% of total world cement production).


    Scope 1 emissions are direct GHG emissions from assets owned or that the company directly controls, such as for example the emissions resulting from limestone calcination, which when heated to high temperatures releases CO2, from the combustion of fossil fuels or from internal transport.

    Our key actions:

    1. Reduction of clinker content down to 63% for grey cement and 79% for white cement by replacing clinker with alternative decarbonated mineral additives such as fly ash and slag and by developing a new cement “low carbon”, FUTURECEM®, which allows to reduce CO2 emissions by over 30%.
    2. Replacement of fossil fuels with alternative fuels. We will replace fossil fuels with waste-derived fuels and biomass fuels. For grey cement, by 2030, Cementir will use 50% alternative fuel, while for white cement alternative fuels will amount to 13%.
    3. Natural gas line to the plant located in Denmark and installation of multi-fuel burners in the kilns. For the Danish plant, we plan a partial transition in fuel consumption from petcoke to natural gas. The switching to natural gas, a fossil fuel with emissions much lower than petcoke, is a transitional solution and essential for Cementir’s transition to net-zero emissions.
    4. Energy recovery: the Aalborg plant recovers excess heat from cement production to provide district heating to the local community. The recovered thermal energy is used to provide heating to around 20,000 families in the city of Aalborg, Denmark with the aim of increasing this figure to over 30,000.
    5. Carbon Capture and storage technology in Aalborg: we have investigated for several years the potential for implementation of carbon capture at its cement plants. In October 2022, a pilot carbon and capture unit was established at the Aalborg Portland plant and will continue operations for at least 7 months until May 2023. If successful, the project could be scaled up with the potential to capture 400,000 tons of CO2 per year by 2030.


    To facilitate the Group's transition to a low-carbon economy, any investment decision is based on an internal CO2 price to determine the profitability of each investment and tested under multiple scenario analyses to 2030.

     

    Investments included in the Industrial Plan period (2023-2025)

    The 2023-25 Industrial Plan, approved by the Board of Directors in February 2023, targets 86 million Euro investments in Sustainability, which will include, among others:

    • the revamping of the kiln at our Belgian plant in order to increase alternative fuels use from the current 40% to over 70%;
    • the switch to natural gas in Aalborg;
    • the ramping up of facilities at the Aalborg plant to produce FUTURECEM®.

    There are also initiatives to reduce transport climate change impact and make the best possible use of water resources.

     

    Our 2030 targets

    GREY CEMENT 2020 2021 TARGET 2022 2022 2025 2030
    Use of traditional fuels in % 72% 70% 64% 68% 61% 50%
    Use of alternative fuels in % 28% 30% 36% 32% 39% 50%
    Clinker ratio 82% 81% 78% 80% 76% 64%
    CO2 emissions (kg CO2/ton cement) 718 684 679 672 621 460
    Reduction versus 2020   -5% -5% -6% -13% -36%

     

    WHITE CEMENT 2020 2021 TARGET 2022 2022 2025 2030
    Use of traditional fuels in % 85% 85% 83% 85% 79% 59%
    Use of natural gas in % 12% 12% 13% 13% 17% 28%
    Use of alternative fuels in % 3% 3% 4% 2% 4% 13%
    Clinker ratio 82% 83% 82% 81% 80% 78%
    CO2 emissions (kg CO2/ton of cement) 915 919 915 886 841 738
    Reduction versus 2020   0% 0% -3% -6% -19%
  • Scope 2

    Scope 2 direct emission reduction

    • -25% of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2030 (vs. 2020)
       

    Scope 2 emissions include indirect emissions from the generation of purchased or acquired electricity, steam, heat or cooling. For example, they are related to the electricity used in the cement grinding mills.

    Our key actions:

    Use of electricity produced from renewable sources: through solar energy or by increasing the purchase of electricity from renewable sources from third parties.

     

  • Scope 3

    Scope 3 indirect emission reduction

    Scope 3 emissions are all indirect emissions (not included in Scope 2) that occur in the value chain and include both upstream and downstream emissions, such as those relating to supply chain, to the extraction and production of purchased materials and fuels, and to transportation. They account for 32% of Cementir’s carbon footprint. In 2022, Cementir decided to make the calculation of the Scope 3 emissions more detailed by providing more specific data, by using the physical data method.

    Our key actions and objectives:

    Starting from 2020 we started examining our suppliers' CO2 emissions to understand how they could be reduced and how to develop mutually beneficial projects (both for Cementir and suppliers).

    Since 2020, a selection of strategic suppliers, in increasing numbers, has been invited to participate in the CDP Supply Chain programme.

      2020 2021 2022
    A) Suppliers involved 55 75 110
    B) Suppliers that responded 17 29 43
    C) Response rate (B/A) 31% 39% 39%

     

    To support this engagement and boost supplier response rates, in 2020, 2021 and 2022, dedicated supplier training webinars were held. 
    This training aims to communicate the importance and benefits from transparently reporting on emissions and climate impact. 
    Each supplier has been invited to disclose information about its risks and opportunities associated with climate change, its emissions, details on its emissions management strategy such as targets, and actions it has taken to reduce its emissions.

Collaboration with local institutions for the reduction of CO2 emissions

Cementir actively collaborates with local Danish institutions to contain CO2 emissions.

Our key actions:

  1. Energy recovery: in Aalborg we recover excess heat from cement production to provide district heating to local households. The recovered thermal energy is used for heating around 30,000 homes in the city of Aalborg, Denmark. In 2022, the Aalborg plant supplied approximately 1.3 million GJ of energy to the Municipality of Aalborg, saving 150,000 tons of CO₂ annually. The objective is to increase the supply of district heating from current 30,000 to over 50,000 households.
  2. Commitment to public policies related to carbon emissions. Cementir actively participates in discussions regarding Danish industrial policy at national and global level, involving, among other issues: climate change, sustainable infrastructures, circular economy, alternative fuels and waste management frameworks. Since November 2019, the Group has been involved in the most ambitious CO2 reduction project sponsored by a national government, the Danish one. Through the CEO of the associate Aalborg Portland, Cementir is leading the climate partnership for the Danish energy-intensive industry; the technical working group will provide the Danish government with the forecast of the achievable CO2 reduction potential and define the prerequisites (policies, research, innovation, subsidies, etc.).
Last update: 21/04/2023 | 11:43