CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. ("CEMEX") announced today that the U.S.
Department of Energy awarded US$3.2 million to Solar MEAD, a joint
project headed by CEMEX, Sandia National Laboratories, and
Synhelion, which aims to decarbonize cement production.
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Close-up of Synhelion’s solar receiver,
which provides the necessary process heat to decarbonize clinker
production. (Courtesy of Synhelion)
Solar MEAD aims to replace the use of fossil fuels with
concentrated solar thermal (“CST”) energy in clinker production,
the key component in cement. CEMEX and Synhelion have been
collaborating to introduce CST in the cement production process,
achieving the first successful laboratory-scale demonstrative pilot
in 2022 by producing the first-ever solar clinker. Sandia
Laboratories will contribute unique research facilities as part of
the National Solar Thermal Test Facility, and subject matter
expertise to help accelerate the adaptation of the technology to
cement manufacturing.
Synhelion's breakthrough technology delivers high-temperature
process heat beyond 1,500 degrees Celsius – sufficient heat to
produce clinker without using fossil fuels.
"Cement produced with solar energy is an exciting technology
with tremendous potential to reduce the carbon footprint of cement
production," said Fernando A. González, CEO of CEMEX. "Achieving
our net zero carbon goal by 2050 will require relentless innovation
such as this to discover and scale breakthrough technologies."
"Few renewable technologies are capable of generating heat at
the temperatures needed to process raw cement feedstock," said
Nathan Schroeder, Sandia researcher and principal investigator for
the Solar MEAD project. "This project will advance our
understanding of how to use concentrating solar technology to
gather and deliver the heat to existing cement production
facilities and will have crosscutting relevance to other ore
processing industries such as refractory, ceramics, and battery
production."
Gianluca Ambrosetti, CEO and Co-Founder of Synhelion, added:
"The project offers us the opportunity to use our sustainable
technology to support the decarbonization of energy-intensive
cement clinker production. This solution can have a huge impact on
the industry and will help to pave the way towards net-zero. We are
proud of contributing to this goal."
The project will investigate methods to reduce carbon dioxide
emissions, lower process temperatures, and increase the efficiency
of clinker formation using solar energy. The team will assess the
conditions to maximize heat transfer to the raw cement mix.
Successful adoption of this technology in cement manufacturing
will not only allow for 100% replacement of fossil fuels but also
result in a more efficient and lower-cost carbon capture process
when compared to the current state-of-the-art technologies.
Clinker is produced by fusing limestone, clay, and other
materials in a rotary kiln at temperatures nearing 1,500°C. Fossil
fuels are typically used to heat the kiln and are responsible for
approximately 40% of the direct CO2 emissions of the process.
Replacing fossil fuels entirely with solar energy is a game-changer
in the industry's efforts to achieve carbon neutrality.
About Sandia National Laboratories
Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory
operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia
LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for
the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security
Administration. Sandia Labs has major research and development
responsibilities in nuclear deterrence, global security, defense,
energy technologies and economic competitiveness, with main
facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Livermore,
California.
About Synhelion
Synhelion is a global pioneer in the field of carbon-neutral
solar fuels. The clean energy company evolved from the Swiss
Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) in 2016 to decarbonize
the transportation sector. Synhelion is currently building its
first industrial solar fuel plant in Germany. The first commercial
production facility is planned for commissioning in Spain by 2025.
Synhelion is the first company to sustainably generate process heat
beyond 1,500°C with concentrated solar radiation. This makes it
possible to drive industrial processes such as fuel production and
cement manufacturing with solar heat for the first time. The
company provides the world with cutting-edge technology to help
solve the climate crisis and works with international partners such
as Eni, CEMEX, Lufthansa Group, Swiss International Air Lines, SMS
group, Wood, AMAG Group, and Zurich Airport. For more information,
please visit: synhelion.com
About CEMEX
CEMEX (NYSE: CX) is a global construction materials company that
is 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 pioneering ways to increase the
use of waste and residues as alternative raw materials and 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, powered by a multinational
workforce focused on providing a superior customer experience,
enabled by digital technologies. For more information, please
visit: www.cemex.com
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. CEMEX intends
these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor
provisions for forward-looking statements in the U.S. federal
securities laws. These forward-looking statements reflect CEMEX’s
current expectations and projections about future events based on
CEMEX’s knowledge of present facts and circumstances and
assumptions about future events, as well as CEMEX’s current plans
based on such facts and circumstances. These statements necessarily
involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause
actual results to differ materially from CEMEX’s expectations,
including, among others, risks, uncertainties, and assumptions
discussed in CEMEX's most recent annual report and detailed from
time to time in CEMEX’s other filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, which factors are incorporated herein by
reference, which if materialized could ultimately lead to CEMEX,
including the project referred herein, not producing the expected
benefits and/or results. These factors may be revised or
supplemented, but CEMEX is not under and expressly disclaims, any
obligation to update or correct this press release or any
forward-looking statement contained herein, whether as a result of
new information, future events, or otherwise. Any or all of CEMEX’s
forward-looking statements may turn out to be inaccurate.
Accordingly, undue reliance on forward-looking statements should
not be placed, as such forward-looking statements speak only as of
the dates on which they are made. The content of this press release
is for informational purposes only, and you should not construe any
such information or other material as legal, tax, investment,
financial, or other advice. CEMEX is not responsible for the
content of any third-party website or webpage referenced to or
accessible through this press release, nor for any quote from any
third-party contained herein.
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Sandia contact Mollie Rappe +1 (505) 228-6123
mrappe@sandia.gov
CEMEX Media Relations Jorge Pérez +52 (81)
8259-6666 jorgeluis.perez@cemex.com
Synhelion Media Relations media@synhelion.com
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