Cement News tagged under: western europe

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Holcim receives environmental permit for new Obourg kiln

22 March 2023, Published under Cement News

Holcim has received a new environmental permit for the company’s GO4ZERO kiln project at its Obourg plant, near Mons, Belgium, according to news agency Belga. The new kiln will operate with a new oxy-fuel kiln to help achieve the plant’s net-zero target. Existing facilities will also be modernised in the project. The new pyroprocessing line will also use alternative raw materials to replace limestone, reduce water consumption and meet half of its power with renewable resources. Clinker...

CRH appoints new non-executive director

22 March 2023, Published under Cement News

CRH plc has appointed Christina Verchere as non-executive director, effective from 20 March 2023. Ms Verchere, a dual British and US citizen, is chief executive officer of OMV Petrom SA (OMVP), a position she has held since 2018. OMVP is the largest integrated energy company in southern and eastern Europe, and is active across the energy value chain from oil and gas production to power generation and supply. Prior to joining OMVP, Ms Verchere spent over 20 years working with BP plc, whe...

UK spring budget: MPA rues missed opportunity

20 March 2023, Published under Cement News

The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has responded to the UK Government’s Spring Budget by calling for clearer action to accelerate investment, green growth and infrastructure delivery, compared to the relatively “patchy and underwhelming agenda” set out by the Chancellor. The confirmation that the Aggregates Levy will be frozen for 2023-24 is a source of relief, although MPA is concerned that the Government plans to increase the Levy in line with the retail price index from 2024-25 onw...

Holcim supplies landmark Croatian tunnel

20 March 2023, Published under Cement News

Holcim has supplied more than 120,000m 3 of its ECOPact low-carbon concrete to a tunnel project in Croatia, reducing the project’s CO 2 emissions by 30 per cent. In addition, material from the excavation of the tunnel was used in the manufacture of the concrete, saving over 200,000t of virgin aggregates. The Istrian Y Motorway is a landmark project in Croatia, which relies heavily on its tourism industry. The current phase of the Istrian Y Motorway involves converting the remaining pa...

Ecocem Director speaks out against composition of Net Zero Industry Act

17 March 2023, Published under Cement News

Ecocem ’s Founder and Managing Director, Donal O'Riain, has spoken out on what he terms a missed opportunity with the passing of Europe's Net Zero Industry ACT (NZIA). Mr Riain stressed that the Net Zero Industry ACT (NZIA) takes no account of alternative technologies to cut in half CO 2 emissions from the cement industry by 2030.  From a low-carbon cement technology perspective, the scope of the NZIA is very specific. Companies and technologies will need to fall in to one of the narrow...

Ecocem founder denounces narrow CCUS focus of UK government

16 March 2023, Published under Cement News

Following the UK government’s announcement in its budget to invest GBP20bn (US$24.1bn/EUR22.8bn) in carbon capture technology, Donal O'Riain, Ecocem ’s founder and director, voices his concern at the narrow focus of the government’s decarbonisation strategy. Mr O’Riain comments: “All investment in reducing global carbon emissions is welcome, but today’s announcement by the UK Government that it will invest GBP20bn in carbon capture technology is another example of how focussing exclusive...

Bellona encouraged by EU's directive for embodied carbon of buildings

15 March 2023, Published under Cement News

Climate and sustainability foundation, Bellona, says it is encouraging to see   the EU take decisive action on the built environment and embodied carbon following the European Parliament’s passing of its Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) recast.   This legislation addresses embodied carbon and whole-life greenhouse gas emissions (both embodied and operational emissions). Until now, embodied carbon has remained largely ignored in the EU and the building sector’s efforts t...

GCCA launches 2nd Innovandi Open Challenge

15 March 2023, Published under Cement News

The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has launched its second Innovandi Open Challenge and this year is asking for start-ups to team up with the cement industry to develop innovations for new materials and ingredients for low carbon concrete to accelerate the race to net zero.  Start-up businesses from outside the cement and concrete sector are being invited to put forward their ideas and innovations by 30 May 2023. A selection from the entrants will be made on 30 June 2023, b...

IKN completes test runs of calcium looping trials

15 March 2023, Published under Cement News

After successfully finishing CLEANKER’s test-runs of the entrained Calcium Looping (CaL) system at Vernaca cement plant in Italy, the complete project will be presented to the public at the 9th HTSLCN conference at Piacenza this week.     During this workshop IKN will present its plant design for the CLEANKER pilot project and the first steps towards scaling up to a full-size cement plant.   CLEANKER aims to demonstrate the CaL concept, one of the most promising technologies for ...

Hanson UK welcomes GBP20bn Government decarbonisation commitment

15 March 2023, Published under Cement News

Hanson UK's CEO, subsidiary of Heidelberg Materials , has welcomed the UK Government's GBP20bn (US$24.1bn/EUR22.8bn) investment commitment to decarbonise heavy industry. Simon Willis,  Hanson UK 's CEO, said: “We welcome the Government’s Green Energy Reset announcement and its ongoing commitment to carbon capture and storage (CCS), which is essential for the cement industry to decarbonise. Our proposed GBP400m Padeswood CCS project, in north Wales, will enable the production of net zer...