Cemvision electrifies cement production with hydrogen, plasma and resistive heating

Cemvision has reportedly fully electrified cement production in rotary kilns by combining hydrogen, plasma and resistive heating.

The Swedish green cement producer reached the milestone after completing three parallel projects to develop the new technology, which can reduce energy consumption “by more than half” compared to Portland cement production.

In addition to lowering the carbon emissions significantly – from a sector responsible for 7% of global CO2 emissions – the approach also allows for grid balancing, which could potentially cut carbon emissions by 21% in the next 25 years, according to a study from Wärtsilä.

In a statement, the company wrote, “Since cement accounts for 7% of global industrial energy – translating to roughly 2.6% of the world’s total energy use—the industry’s power balancing is a potential trillion-dollar question.”

H2 View understands that the product will combine performance and sustainability, offering low-heat hydration for castings and rapid-hardening options for road paving, “ready for heavy traffic in as little as 10 hours.”

Fossil fuels are traditionally used for cement production to reach the 1,450°C heat needed to turn raw materials into clinker, cement’s key component. Cemvision explored various technologies to completely electrify cement production, before doubling down on green hydrogen, resistive heating and plasma.

Cemvision has stated the recent breakthrough can overcome past electrification limits to enable scalable, efficient production for major industrials.

“We prioritise versatility in electrical technologies, believing in a combination for energy utilisation and energy storage,” explained Claes Kollberg, Chief Technical Officer of Cemvision.

“Hydrogen, resistive heating and plasma can offer a versatile and feasible zero-carbon pathway across various production sites. Cemvision’s approach is not just climate-friendly; it’s highly pragmatic, resource-efficient and resilient.”

Oscar Hållén, CEO of Cemvision, added, “For us, it’s all about reducing green premiums, making our products accessible without great surcharges and with competitive prices versus traditional Portland cement. Every decision we make is guided by that principle.

“At the end of the day, many of the green cement innovations currently researched in the market will have a hard time delivering cost-efficient products, or solutions that actually work. But there are practical paths forward that can make cement the most efficient way to decarbonise the economy.”