CEMEX and Synhelion developed an innovative technology that undertakes the elimination of the carbon footprint in cement using solar energy to drive the manufacturing process.
The radically new approach is based on replacing the use of fossil fuels in cement plants with hightemperature solar heat, and capturing 100 percent of the carbon emissions, which are then utilized as feedstock for fuel production, enabling cement manufacturing to achieve net-zero level. This is made possible by the unprecedented temperature levels of solar heat provided by Synhelion’s technology and its pioneering process to turn CO2 into synthetic drop-in fuels, such as kerosene, diesel, and gasoline.
This solution is the very first to offer a comprehensive approach to decarbonize the cement industry. Following the research collaboration completed in spring 2020, CEMEX and Synhelion plan to adopt a staged approach towards implementing the technology. A pilot installation is expected to be incorporated into an existing CEMEX cement plant by the end of 2022 and gradually extended to a fully solar-driven plant.
This advancement is an important element of CEMEX’s current Climate Action strategy. Synhelion, based in Switzerland, is a global pioneer in the field of sustainable solar fuels and process heat.
More information on this new innovative technology can be found here.
