The MPA plan sets out an 81% reduction in 1990-level greenhouse gas emissions from cement production by 2050.
(1990 is the Kyoto Protocol baseline year.)
The UK’s greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction plans will be met through a series of measures:
• greater use of waste derived fuels instead of virgin fossil fuels
• biomass fuels that are carbon neutral
• lower carbon cements that contain less ‘embodied’ CO2
• reducing levels of cement clinker in finished cements with lower carbon substitutes
• the decarbonisation of the electricity sector
• reduced transport emissions
• plant efficiency
• deployment of carbon capture and storage when it is technically and economically available.
Members of MPA Cement are Cemex UK, Hanson Cement and Lafarge Tarmac.
“We have recently heard calls from the European and UK Parliaments for industrial sectors to come forward with their GHG reduction plans out to 2050”, said MPA executive director Dr Pal Chana. “I am delighted to say that the UK cement industry was well ahead of these initiatives and has been working on its own plans. The document we are publishing today shows that by building on the considerable efforts we have already made and by capitalising on breakthrough technology in carbon capture and storage as and when it becomes available and economically viable, we believe we can deliver significant GHG reductions. Ours is a small contribution towards what has to be a global vision, but we want to participate fully in this effort and have shown what can be achieved with a combined effort from industry and others.”
Some of the planned carbon reducing measures are already within the capability of the UK cement companies, Dr Chana said, but others – such as the decarbonisation of the electricity sector and carbon capture and storage – are outside the industry’s control. “Without effort on those elements that are out of our control, we still anticipate being able to reduce our GHG footprint by 62% against a 1990 baseline if the market and investment conditions allow,” Dr Chana said.
“These are ambitious but achievable targets. The industry will look to use every means possible, within strict environmental controls and technical standards requirements, to meet their goals,” he added.
The MPA’s UK cement industry 2050 GHG reduction strategy can be seen here: http://cement.mineralproducts.org/documents/MPA_Cement_2050_Strategy.pdf
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