Cemex and Synhelion make further progress toward the world’s first fully solar-powered cement plant
August 03 2023 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
Cemex and Synhelion announced today a significant milestone in
their joint effort to develop fully solar-driven cement production:
the scaling of their technology to industrially-viable levels. This
includes the continuous production of clinker, the most
energy-intensive part of cement manufacturing, using only solar
heat.
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Close-up of Synhelion’s receiver
delivering the high-temperature solar process heat beyond 1,500°C.
(Photo: Business Wiire)
At the beginning of 2022, the companies announced the first-ever
successful production of solar clinker in a small-scale batch
process pilot. Advancing from that stage to production under
plant-like and continuous conditions reaffirms the tremendous
potential of this technology to reach industrial-scale
implementation. Cemex and Synhelion will now take further steps
toward building a solar-driven industrial-scale pilot cement
plant.
“I am convinced we are getting closer to the technologies that
will enable net-zero CO2 cement and concrete production,” said
Fernando A. González, CEO of Cemex. “The solid progress I see here
proves that solar cement is not just a dream; it is achievable
through continued collaboration and backed up by rigorous research
and testing.”
Gianluca Ambrosetti, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Synhelion, added,
“This is an exciting milestone for everyone involved, achieved
through the excellent collaboration between the teams of Cemex and
Synhelion. Our technology can make an important contribution toward
decarbonizing cement production, and we look forward to more
trailblazing achievements in this field.”
Clinker is produced in a rotary kiln at temperatures nearing
1,500°C. Fossil fuels are typically used to heat the kiln and are
responsible for approximately 40% of direct CO2 emissions.
Synhelion’s breakthrough technology provides sufficient heat to
produce clinker without using fossil fuels. Replacing fossil fuels
entirely with solar energy is a game-changer in Cemex’s efforts to
achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Additionally, the technology
creates the conditions to separate, and therefore capture, the
remaining CO2 from calcination in concentrated form without
additional efforts.
The partnership between Cemex and Synhelion has received
important recognition recently. The U.S. Department of Energy
awarded US$ 3.2 million to Solar MEAD, a joint project between
Cemex, Sandia National Laboratories, and Synhelion to study the
conditions to maximize heat transfer to the raw cement mix. The
collaboration also received an honorable mention in the
Eco-Innovator category of the Corporate Citizenship Innovation
Awards sponsored by the Boston College Center for Corporate
Citizenship – an organization dedicated to advancing the work of
corporate social responsibility and sustainability.
This project is part of Cemex’s Future in Action program, which
focuses on achieving sustainable excellence through climate action,
circularity, and natural resource management with the primary
objective of becoming a net-zero CO₂ company by 2050. Two essential
elements of this program are Cemex Ventures and Cemex’s R&D
Center in Switzerland. Through them, the company is discovering and
investing in the companies they believe will provide the proven,
scalable technologies to achieve carbon neutrality.
About Cemex
Cemex, S.A.B. de C.V. (“Cemex”) (NYSE: CX) is a global
construction materials company that is building a better future
through sustainable products and solutions. Cemex is committed to
achieving carbon neutrality through relentless innovation and
industry-leading research and development. Cemex is at the
forefront of the circular economy in the construction value chain
and is pioneering ways to increase the use of waste and residues as
alternative raw materials and fuels in its operations with the help
of new technologies. Cemex offers cement, ready-mix concrete,
aggregates, and urbanization solutions in growing markets around
the world, powered by a multinational workforce focused on
providing a superior customer experience enabled by digital
technologies. For more information, please visit: www.cemex.com
About Synhelion
Synhelion is a global pioneer in the field of carbon-neutral
solar fuels. The clean energy company evolved from the Swiss
Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) in 2016 to decarbonize
the transportation sector. Synhelion is currently building the
world’s first industrial facility for the production of solar fuel
in Jülich, Germany. The first commercial production facility is
planned for commissioning in Spain by 2025. Synhelion is the first
company to sustainably generate process heat beyond 1,500°C with
concentrated solar radiation. This makes it possible to drive
industrial processes such as fuel production and cement
manufacturing with solar heat for the first time. The company
provides the world with cutting-edge technology to combat climate
change and works with international partners such as Eni, Cemex,
Lufthansa Group, Swiss International Air Lines, SMS group, Wood,
AMAG Group, and Zurich Airport. For more information, please visit:
www.synhelion.com
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Cemex Analyst and Investor Relations - Monterrey Fabián
Orta +52 (81) 8888-4327 ir@cemex.com
Analyst and Investor Relations - New York Scott Pollak +1 (212)
317-6011 ir@cemex.com
Media Relations Jorge Pérez +52 (81) 8259-6666
jorgeluis.perez@cemex.com
Synhelion Media Relations Carmen Murer, Head Corporate
Communication +41 79 619 52 11 carmen.murer@synhelion.com
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