Cement Manufacturers Association

Global cumulative CO 2 emissions reductions by applying the roadmap vision (2DS – 2 Degrees Scenario) compared to the RTS 2 Note: Cumulative CO 2 emissions reductions refer to the period from 2020 to 2050 and are based on the low-variability case of the scenarios. 2 So far, so good What is missing, however, is the infrastructure required to transport the carbon dioxide and an approval framework covering how it can be reused or stored. Responding to a query from VDMA Construction - Equipment and Plant Engineering, the Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) stated that separating CO 2 with the goal of storing it is currently not an option. This means that the only currently viable options are to utilize carbon dioxide, or preferably to avoid it altogether. The BMU is currently developing a funding program for decarbonization in emissions-heavy industries, with implementation planned for the coming year. In 2019, the ministry established a Center of Expertise for Climate Protection in Energy-intensive Industry in Cottbus with the target of supporting the industries which are facing challenges regarding the goal of neutral greenhouse gas emissions, as well as retaining jobs in the German industrial sector in the future. (See https://www.klimaschutz-industrie.de/en/ ) In the view of VDMA Construction Equipment and Plant Engineering, it is conducive to promoting the standardization of alternative cement, as well as the approach of the BMU of developing a sales market for cement produced using greenhouse gas-neutral procedures. It is, however, necessary to create an approval framework quickly, and therefore also the requisite infrastructure for transporting and reusing the separated CO 2 . There is a need for policymakers to initiate work on new guidelines and policies. What to do with the CO 2 ? A key technology in this scenario is power-to-X, with which both synthetic gas and liquid fuels can be manufactured. Alternative energy sources can be used as seasonal storage in electricity or transport applications, such as in heavy- duty transport or in shipping and aviation. One significant benefit is that the infrastructure which is in place to transport and fill fossil fuels can continue to be used for synthetic gases and fuels. As research projects have shown, these synthetic fuels can also be admixed to fossil fuels in almost any ratio, thus contributing to the quick reduction of greenhouse gases. VDMA views power-to-X as a guarantor of the energy transition. As CO 2 is required to convert hydrogen into alternative energy sources, cement plants could therefore contribute to the reliable and permanent generation of energy. Becoming active The work by VDMA and its member companies makes a significant contribution towards achieving the goals set out in the Paris Agreement, while simultaneously safeguarding Germany’s standing as an industrial location, its jobs, its leading technological position and its social cohesion and prosperity. This is a task which requires all involved parties to act. 1 The roadmap is the result of a collaborative effort between the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI). 2 IEA (2018). Technology roadmap: Low Carbon Transition in the Cement Industry. All rights reserved. P.22 18 Electricity intensity 1000 MtCO 2 0 2000 3000 4000 Innovative technologies (incl.carbon capture) Reduction of clinker to cement ratio Fuel switching Thermal energy efficiency