Sep 22 2023, 08:44
Concrete Plan for green cement,Ultratech and Dalmia push ahead:
India’s biggest cement producer, UltraTech, embarked upon a first-of-its-kind initiative to cut carbon emissions.
The company decided to repurpose 57,000 metric tonne (around 1,000 truckloads) industrial waste to be utilised in its cement plant.
The company’s FY23 annual report that the move showcased innovation by utilising both sea and inland waterways to transport a bulk cargo carrier loaded with 57,000 metric tonne (MT) phosphogypsum.
“It was safely moved from the Paradip port in Odisha to UltraTech’s jetty in the Amreli district’s Kovaya in Gujarat,” he added.
Cement is the most used material in construction after water. This shows our dependence on this versatile material, the largest emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the world after iron and steel.
According to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) estimates, India’s cement industry is seen expanding at a faster rate than the world average.
The projected rise in cement production poses several challenges, especially since the country has committed to achieving net-zero emission by 2070 amid growing concerns globally over climate change.
Importantly in India, with the annual per-capita consumption of cement standing at 240kg, there is an urgent need to green the sector.
For instance, UltraTech, which sold 100 million tonnes of cement in FY23, up 12% from FY22, has committed to go carbon neutral by 2050.
Dalmia Bharat, has been working on product innovations contributing to the green transition of the industry. This includes exploring the use of alternative binders and incorporating supplementary cementitious to reduce the clinker content in cement.
“The construction industry in India has been accustomed to traditional cement for many years. There is resistance to change, both from construction professionals and consumers, who are more familiar with conventional cement.
Overcoming this and encouraging the transition to blended cement requires effective education and promotion efforts. For example, government tenders still ask for ordinary Portland cement,”says Arvind Bodhankar, executive director – environment, social, and governance, and chief risk officer, Dalmia Bharat.
source:et
Sep 22 2023, 10:35