ECem

Using electrification to cut cement’s carbon footprint

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A groundbreaking research project aims to create advanced electric heating technologies that could dramatically reduce carbon emissions from cement production. The Innovation Fund will invest almost DKK21 million in the project, which will run from 1 September 2024 to 29 February 2028.

Cement production is one of the largest emitters of carbon dioxide (CO2), responsible for more than 4% of Denmark’s annual emissions and 7% to 8% globally. Much of this CO2 stems from the decomposition of limestone into calcium oxide   and CO2 during the initial stages of cement production, known as calcination.

A new research project targets these emissions by commercialising new electric limestone calcination technologies compatible with large-scale carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS). The proposed solutions will support Denmark’s transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy and position the country as a world leader in renewable energy and net-zero industrial processes.

- The vision of the ECem project is nothing short of a revolution in cement production. It aims to deliver new electric calcination technologies that will become a cornerstone of cement plants in the future, enabling the industry to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and take a leading role in the fight against climate change. – Christopher Ashworth, President of FLSmidth Cement.

The two targeted electric calcination technologies deliver process heat via infrared or inductive heating. The precise process and temperature control offered by electric heating delivers consistent clinker quality, a critical cement component. This ensures superior cement properties and satisfies the stringent quality demands of global construction standards and customer expectations, essential requirements for any new cement production process.

Exploring both heating options at the prototype level is the anticipated next task in this funded project. The work facilitates creation of a possible pathway for further exploration at a pilot plant  .

The project is a collaboration between FLSmidth Cement (project manager and commercialisation partner), the Danish Technological Institute (DTI), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Aalborg University (AAU), Cementos Argos, and European Energy (EE).

 

Facts

Innovation Fund investment: DKK 20.9 million
Total Budget: DKK 27.9 million
Duration 3.5 years
Official title: ECem Electric Calciner Technologies for Cement Plants of the Future