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

    • < 500 kg of CO2 per ton of grey cement (gross)
    • < 800 kg of CO2 per ton of white cement (gross)1

    1 Note: 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. Greater use of alternative fuels to cover 55% of energy needs (grey cement). We promote a circular economy by reusing waste and biomass to replace fossil fuels, reducing carbon emissions.
    3. Increased use of alternative raw materials resulting from other production processes (such as fly ash and blast furnace slag) to replace limestone, reducing CO2 emissions.
    4. Optimization of the fuel mix and installation of multi-fuel burners in the kilns through the use of natural gas, a fossil fuel with 20% lower emissions than petcoke.
    5. Carbon capture and storage: new technologies such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) will be necessary for the transition to a “net zero” model. We participate to some CCUS (carbon capture, usage and storage) projects, such as ConsenCus and Greensand.


    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 (2022-2024)

    The 2022-24 Industrial Plan, approved by the Board of Directors in February 2022, targets a 97 million Euro investments in Sustainability and Digitalization, 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 80%;
    • the switch to natural gas and biogas in some plants;
    • the ramping up of facilities at the Aalborg plant to produce FUTURECEM™,
    • the extension of district heating and other energy efficiency projects. 

    There are also initiatives to reduce transport climate change impact and make the best possible use of water resources. In transport, the Danish subsidiary Unicon, the largest producer and supplier of ready-mixed concrete in Denmark, set a target to reduce its fleet CO2 emissions by its fleet by 30% in 2025 compared to 2019. To achieve this, in 2021, Unicon and Volvo Trucks entered into a long-term collaboration to implement and optimise electric solutions for the concrete industry. The collaboration aims to give Unicon the opportunity to put into operation a fleet of electric truck mixers that will allow an efficient as well as sustainable distribution of ready-mixed concrete.

     

    Our 2030 targets

    GREY CEMENT 2019 2020 2021 2022 2025 2030
    Use of traditional fuels in % 69% 72% 70% 64% 60% 45%
    Use of alternative fuels in % 31% 28% 30% 36% 40% 55%
    Clinker ratio 82% 82% 81% 78% 73% 63%
    CO2 emissions (kg CO2/ton cement) 696 718 684 679 577 494

     

    WHITE CEMENT 2019 2020 2021 2022 2025 2030
    Use of traditional fuels in % 84% 85% 85% 83% 69% 43%
    Use of natural gas in % 12% 12% 12% 13% 26% 49%
    Use of alternative fuels in % 4% 3% 3% 4% 5% 8%
    Clinker ratio 84% 82% 83% 82% 81% 79%
    CO2 emissions (kg CO2/ton of cement) 926 915 919 915 870 792
  • 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 the direct installation of wind turbines in Denmark with an installed capacity of 8.4 MW, photovoltaic panels in Belgium 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.

    Our key actions and objectives:

    Scope 3 indirect emissions account for 26% of total emissions. In 2020 we started examining our suppliers' CO2 emissions to understand how they could be reduced and how to develop mutually beneficial projects.

    In 2020 and 2021, a selection of strategic suppliers was invited to participate in the CDP Supply Chain programme.

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

     

    To support this engagement and boost supplier response rates, in 2020 and 2021, 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 36,000 homes in the city of Aalborg, Denmark. In 2021, the Aalborg plant supplied approximately 1.7 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 36,000 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: 09/11/2022 | 12:16