The cement industry has achieved significant progress in improvement of energy efficiency and reduction of CO2 emissions in 2009, according to new data released by the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI).
 
The latest data shows that energy consumption and CO2 emissions are lower than 2008, although some of the reductions can be attributed to a decrease in cement production accompanying the global drop in construction activity. Due to the global recession, cementitious product production by the reporting companies fell from 877Mt in 2008 to 802Mt in 2009.
 
Gross CO2 emissions per ton clinker fell to 853kg/t in 2009, down 0.8% from 860kg/t in 2008. Kiln fuel efficiency and use of alternative fuels (including biomass) increased, while electricity consumption (as kWh/t) declined. The percentage of clinker in cement was reduced to 75.6%, down from 76.1% in 2008, and some way below the 83% recorded in 1990.
 
Overall, energy efficiency has improved nearly 16% since 1990, while CO2 emissions per unit of output have dropped more than 14% in the same period.