​Concrete is essential for building a sustainable society and is the most common building material, time-tested for over 2,000 years. It is manufactured and commissioned on site, 100% recyclable, durable, sound absorbing, simple in design and versatile. These qualities make mass replacement impossible. At the same time, the production of its key component, cement, is energy intensive and responsible for 7% of CO2 emissions worldwide.

Europe aims to become climate neutral by 2050 with a sustainable circular economy that uses resources efficiently and protects the environment. To support this vision, the industries behind its implementation, such as the cement industry, have committed to reducing carbon emissions.

“Cement and concrete are vital construction materials for transport infrastructure, renewable energy sources, sustainable buildings, energy-efficient construction solutions that positively affect the quality of life. An important part of the main development directions contained in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan includes infrastructure, construction, a wave of repairs, for which these two materials are the basis. The efficiency and ability of manufacturers to supply these low-carbon materials is important not only to support the economy and the nearly 10,000 people employed directly or indirectly, but also to ensure the sustainability and development goals of the industry at European level.” – said Marinela Dracea, president of the Association of Employers of Cement and Other Mineral Construction Products of Romania (CIROM).

Since privatization, the cement industry has launched important projects and investments to improve production efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions. Investments were aimed at modernization and automation of facilities, installation of highly efficient filters, introduction of new environmental protection procedures and preservation of quarries, as well as improvement of energy efficiency.

Next, the cement industry is ready to accelerate the path to climate neutrality, so that by 2030 carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by 30%, and by 2050 the set goals will be achieved. It operates by intervening in each stage of the value chain (clinker, cement, concrete, construction, demolition) both with the help of known technologies and through the development of new technologies and products.

Alternative resources of raw materials and energy – green products – innovative technologies: how the cement industry becomes climate neutral

A central solution in the cement industry’s emissions reduction strategy is co-processing, a technology that allows the waste to be recovered to recover thermal energy and recycle the mineral content, thus replacing some of the fossil fuels and natural raw materials needed to produce cement. Waste that is processed and used for energy in this way becomes an alternative resource for cement production, and the materials recovered in this way re-enter the economic cycle, making the principles of the circular economy a reality.

Co-processing reduces both carbon emissions and natural resources used in cement production, and diverts significant volumes of waste that cannot be recycled using existing recycling processes from landfill. For example, through co-recycling, more than 600,000 tons of waste per year are no longer stored, approximately 350,000 tons per year of natural resources are saved and approximately 350,000 tons of CO2 are avoided per year, considering that only 5% of household waste is disposed of in Romania. In order to achieve an increase in the amount of recycled and recovered waste in the coming years, it is necessary to implement separate collection of waste on a large scale.

Cement and concrete manufacturers are also helping to reduce their carbon footprint by expanding their portfolio with products that contain recycled materials, reducing their CO2 footprint by more than 30%.

A life-cycle approach to construction and the promotion of low-carbon products are needed. Thus, we must maximize the use of low-carbon concrete, which, due to its properties such as durability, thermal performance, 100% recyclability, is an important material for green constructions.

One of the most interesting new technologies that will significantly reduce carbon emissions in the cement industry, and without which the climate neutrality of cement and other industrial products cannot be achieved, is carbon capture and storage/utilization (CCUS). Most innovative projects in the industry are currently focused on the implementation of “demonstration” projects using CCUS technology. In the future, to be available on a large scale will require both large investments and carbon transport and storage infrastructure supported and facilitated by authorities at both national and European levels.

Cooperation is necessary for the introduction of new emission reduction technologies

Achieving climate neutrality requires, in addition to the development of innovative technologies, an enabling regulatory framework to support the industry’s decarbonisation efforts – this is both a priority and a strategic mission for the cement industry.

Given that approximately 60% of a cement plant’s CO2 emissions are due to process chemistry rather than fuel combustion, investment in new technologies to reduce these emissions, such as capture, transport and storage (CCS), is needed. Investments in such projects reach 300-500 million euros, so it is important to have both a legal framework and national financing mechanisms for the development of CCS projects in Romania.

The implementation of these solutions will only be possible after the carbon transport infrastructure and storage sites are approved and implemented by the authorities, after additional investments are made to increase the energy independence of industry, and the carbon offset legislation that is currently putting pressure on the operating industry costs, will be approved and implemented.

Creating a level playing field for countries that do not have to pay for carbon dioxide emissions, as is the case with most countries outside the EU, is essential to achieving the goal of decarbonisation. That is why a level playing field is needed, stimulating investments in low-carbon technologies also outside the European Union. Only in this way will we be able to reduce carbon dioxide emissions worldwide.

The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) should be implemented as soon as possible.

Therefore, investments in low-carbon technologies can only be initiated if there is regulatory certainty by 2030 to support the implementation of decarbonization projects.

About CIROM

CIROM is an employers’ organization representing the largest producers of cement and mineral products in Romania. CIROM has 11 member companies, which annually contribute approximately €200 million to the public budget and create approximately 10,000 jobs throughout the value chain.

The production of cement and other mineral building products has a capital-intensive, energy-intensive profile and a pronounced local character. The main materials used in the production of cement are of national origin, the production units are located near raw material quarries and employ local labor. Distribution and use of products, production of concrete and other construction materials also takes place on the ground. Given the specificity of the activity, the industry plays an important role in strengthening the local economy and providing a stable source of jobs.