Cement, Energy and Environment

33 replacement in rotary kilns • Drying of AFR and Pre-combustion of AFR: before feeding to the calciner to improve the pyro process operating efficiency • Material drying: Electrified preheating of limestone, clays, and alternative fuels upstream of the kiln • White cement production: Reduction of fossil fuel use by up to 50% with a corresponding increase in throughput The system also enhances waste heat recovery options and simplifies flue gas cleaning, offering a cleaner exhaust profile with fewer inert gases and particulates. SYSTEM ECONOMICS AND INTEGRATION STRATEGY As energy transition continues, its economic logic also becomes increasingly compelling. Renewable electricity is now competitive to conventional energy source across many regions, and its long-term price trajectory is far more stable than fossil alternatives. At the same time, carbon pricing and compliance costs are rising, driving manufacturers toward more future-proof thermal systems. Hydrogen, though often proposed as an alternative, remains fundamentally mismatched for cement kilns. It is a strongly reducing gas, unsuitable for the oxidizing environment required in clinker formation. It also exhibits low energy efficiency—typically only up to 60% compared to +90% with direct electrification—and currently at far higher costs per delivered MWh than electricity. RDH™systemsavoid these limitationsentirely. They can be deployed in a modular format, integrated incrementally, and paired with on-site renewable generation or grid-supplied green electricity. The result is a heat delivery system that is not only cleaner but also more responsive, maintainable, and economically efficient. Industry leaders including CEMEX, UltraTech Cement, and Adani-owned Ambuja Cements are already working with Coolbrook to bring RDH™ into real-world cement facilities. These partnerships are testing the system across various plant layouts, material compositions, and operating conditions—demonstrating its robustness and adaptability under industrial loads. A REDEFINED HEAT SYSTEM FOR A REDEFINED INDUSTRY For decades, the cement industry has focused on optimizing around a fixed thermal model: combustion. But in a carbon-constrained world, this model is reaching its limits—both environmentally and economically. Electrification isn’t simply the substitution of an energy source. It enables a new way to think about heat: faster, cleaner, more flexible, and integrated with digital control systems. This approach unlocks not just emissions reductions, but also broader performance gains—shorter ramp-up times, real- time thermal modulation, reduced maintenance windows, and lower total cost of ownership over time. Electrification, powered by technologies like the RotoDynamic Heater™, is not an aspirational endpoint, it is a practical, deployable solution that aligns with the cement industry’s engineering requirements and business imperatives. And as grid infrastructure evolves and policy support for clean heat accelerates, the case for implementation will only strengthen. CEMENT’S THERMAL FUTURE IS ELECTRIC The cement industry does not need to wait for a breakthrough to begin its transformation. The technology exists and the integration pathways are clear. The opportunity—for emissions reduction, cost optimization, and long-term industrial resilience—is real. By investing in electrified heat systems today, manufacturers can position themselves at the forefront of a global shift, and turn the heat that once defined their emissions into the very mechanism of their sustainability and survival.