CEMEX and Synhelion together for cement production from solar energy
For the first time, CEMEX and Synhelion have successfully linked the clinker production process with the Synhelion solar receiver, producing solar clinker. This breakthrough innovation represents a first step toward the development of fully solar-powered cement plants.
CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. (“CEMEX”) and Synhelion have announced the successful production of the world’s first solar clinker, the key component of cement, a significant step toward the development of fully solar-powered cement plants.
Clinker is produced by fusing together limestone, clay and other materials in a rotary kiln at temperatures approaching 1,500°C. Fossil fuels are typically used to heat the kiln, responsible for about 40 percent of the direct CO2 emissions from the process. Replacing fossil fuels entirely with solar energy represents a step change in the industry’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
“The production of the first solar clinker is a milestone for this transformative technology. It is proof of our commitment to deliver tangible results through innovation to achieve our goal of producing only carbon neutral concrete by 2050,” said Fernando A. Gonzalez, CEO of CEMEX. “CEMEX is building a better future, one that must be sustainable.“
Research and development teams from CEMEX and Synhelion have built a prototype to produce clinker from concentrated solar radiation by linking the clinker production process with the Synhelion solar receiver.
The prototype was installed at IMDEA Energy’s ultra-high concentration solar tower in Spain. Synhelion’s solar receiver enables record-breaking temperatures of more than 1,500°C.
The solar receiver heats a gaseous heat transfer fluid and thus provides the process heat needed for clinker production.
“Our technology converts concentrated sunlight into the hottest solar process heat on the market – over 1,500°C,” said Dr. Gianluca Ambrosetti, CEO and co-founder of Synhelion. “We are proud to demonstrate together with CEMEX a specific industrial application of our fully renewable high-temperature solar heat.”
The pilot project is the first calcination and, more importantly, the first ever successful clinkering using only solar energy.
The clinker was used to produce cement, which was then further processed to produce concrete.
In the next phase of their joint research and development project, CEMEX and Synhelion aim to produce solar clinker in larger quantities by working toward an industrial-scale pilot project in a cement plant.
This initiative is part of CEMEX’s Future in Action program, which focuses on reducing the carbon footprint of its operations and products to achieve carbon-neutral concrete by 2050. A key part of this strategy is CEMEX Ventures and its R&D Center in Switzerland. Through them, CEMEX discovers and invests in companies it believes can provide proven and scalable technologies to achieve carbon neutrality.
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About Synhelion
Synhelion is a global pioneer in sustainable solar fuels. The clean energy company was formed by ETH Zurich in 2016 to decarbonize transportation. Solar fuels can replace all types of fossil fuels as they are cost-effective and fully compatible with existing global infrastructure. Synhelion’s unique technology converts concentrated solar heat into the hottest process heat on the market, making it possible to use solar heat in an unprecedented number of industrial processes such as fuel and cement production. The company already works with international partners such as Lufthansa Group, Wood, Eni, CEMEX and Zurich Airport. For more information, please visit: www.synhelion.com
About CEMEX
CEMEX (NYSE: CX) is a global building materials company building a better future through sustainable products and solutions. CEMEX is committed to achieving carbon neutrality through relentless innovation and industry-leading research and development. CEMEX is at the forefront of the circular economy in the construction value chain and is experimenting with ways to increase the use of waste and residues as raw materials and alternative fuels in its operations with the use of new technologies. CEMEX offers cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates and urbanization solutions in growing markets around the world with a multinational workforce focused on delivering a superior customer experience enabled by digital technologies. For more information, visit: www.cemex.com
Source: synhelion.com