CEMEX says it is continuing its efforts to lead the transition to a net zero construction industry by implementing several new Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) projects throughout its global cement operations.
CCUS can be the final step to reaching net-zero CO2 after current levers, relying on existing and proven strategies, are maximised to their fullest potential. CEMEX is currently running several CCUS innovation projects aiming to accelerate the creation of new technologies and enable the implementation of current ones at an industrial scale. In total, current projects have the potential to avoid more than three million tons of carbon emissions a year.
"CCUS brings together the essence of our strategic priorities: sustainability and innovation," said Fernando A. González, CEO of CEMEX. "Our Future in Action program to achieve sustainable excellence and become a net-zero company is all about measurable, verified progress towards the most ambitious decarbonisation pathway in the industry. Although CCUS technologies are not ready to be scaled quite yet, it will take relentless work and innovation to ensure their viability in time to avoid the most damaging effects of climate change."
CEMEX's new CCUS projects include:
• Three Front End Engineering (FEED) studies to scale CCUS technologies at CEMEX plants in Germany, Poland, and the US. The studies fall under the scope of a new global license agreement with Leilac, a subsidiary of Australian technology company Calix. The agreement enables CEMEX to leverage Leilac's highly efficient direct separation technology to capture CO2 at a low cost in its operations.
• A US Department of Energy-funded FEED study in collaboration with the independent nonprofit research institute RTI International to develop a large-scale carbon capture system at CEMEX's Balcones Cement Plant in Texas. Other partners on the project include SLB, a global technology company and the licensor for RTI's NAS solvent capture technology. The study will perform an engineering design for a commercial-scale system able to capture 670,000 metric tons of CO2 per year, with a carbon capture efficiency above 95%.
• A partnership with leading global CCUS research institute TNO to work on one of the most comprehensive carbon capture, utilisation and storage studies in the industry. The study will include eight CEMEX cement plants in Europe, Mexico, and the US, focusing on synergies and creating an environment that brings the industry closer to implementing CCUS at scale.
Future in Action is CEMEX's program to achieve sustainable excellence through climate action, circularity, and natural resource management with the primary objective of becoming a net-zero CO2 company. Through Future in Action, CEMEX has achieved record-breaking progress in reducing its carbon footprint during the past 18 months.
