Cement Energy and Environment

CINVESTAV (MEXICO) DEVELOPS'GREEN'CEMENT Scientists at Mexico's Cinvestav (Research and Advanced Studies Centre), headed by Jose Ivan Escalante Garcia, have developed a geopolymer-based cement that results in producing reduced C0 2 emissions and required lesser fossil fuel for the melting process. It is even more durable and resistant than the regular cement. Considering the spiraling industrialization and urbanization in the world, this new and environment-friendly cement is actually the need of the hour. The production of cement requires limestone, clay and shale to be heated up at a high temperature of 1,450°C by using coke or coal this manufacturing process releases C0 2 emissions whereby every 1 Kg of cement that is produced releases the same quantity of C0 2 emissions . However, this new cement variant that is geopolymer-based can be manufactured at a temperature of 750 °C and the by-products during the manufacturing process can actually be incorporated while producing this cement. This new eco- I FUTURISTIC TECHNOLOGY friendly cement claims to reduce the total cost of producing the cement (up to 50 per cent) and the C0 2 emissions can actually be reduced by 80 per cent, claims the company. Courtesy: Indian Cement Review, Apri/2011, P36. NOVACEM(UK)LAUNCHES CARBON NEGATIVE CEMENT Novacem (UK) has launched carbon negative cement, which has received the Material of the Year for 2010 award from Material ConneXion. This cement from Novacem has also received recognition from Technology Review and the Wall Street Journal. While giving the award, Material ConneXion stated that Novacem has developed a new class of cement which will offer performance and cost parity with ordinary Portland cement, but with a carbon negative footprint It is uniquely positioned to meet the challenge of reducing cement industry carbon emissions . According to the company, their MgO-based cement not only does not emit C0 2 , but also absorb it. According to the company's spokes person, "Our cement is based on magnesium oxide (MgO) and hydrated magnesium carbonates. Our production process uses accelerated carbonation of magnesium silicates under elevated levels of temperature and pressure (ie, 180°C/150 bar). The carbonates produced are heated at low temperatures (700 °C) to produce MgO, with the C0 2 generated being recycled back in the process. The use of magnesium silicates eliminates the C0 2 emissions from raw materials processing. In addition, the low temperatures required allow use of fuels with low energy content or carbon intensity (ie, biomass), thus further reducing carbon emissions. Additionally, production of the carbonates absorbs C0 2 ; they are produced by carbonating part of the manufactured MgO using atmospheric/industrial C0 2 . Overall, the production process to make one tonne of Novacem cement absorbs up to 100 kg more C0 2 than it emits, making it a carbon negative product." Courtesy: Indian Cement Review, April 2011, P36. GREEN FIELD PLANTS & EXPANSION JK LAKSHMI PLANS RS 1,400- CR CAPEX JK Lakshmi Cement (JKLC), which derives more than 50% of its revenues from the northern region, has chalked out a capex of about Rs 1,400 crore to be spent over a period of two years in increasing its capacity from 4.7 million tonnes to 8 million tonnes by FY2013. The company had revenues of Rs 1,491 crore in FY2009-1 0. Shailendra Chouksey, CFO of the company, told FE, "In FY2011 , we spent about Rs 350 crore capex and going ahead, over the next two years, (FY2012 and 2013) we plan to spend Rs.700 crore each on our cement capacity expansion. The money will be spent in our grinding unit in Haryana, greenfield plant in Durg (Chattisgarh) and enhancing clinkerisation capacity at our kilns." The company's 0.55 million tonnes of split grinding unit in Jhajhar district of Haryana is