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Sustainability is emerging as a major motivator for cement manufacturers

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– Manu Karan, Vice President, CleanMax

Will you please introduce your company to our readers?
CleanMax is the sustainability partner of choice for leading corporates and institutions in Asia. Our cumulative operating solar power capacity is over 575+MW across rooftop projects and opens access solar farms across India. We will be expanding our solar farms across multiple States in India by mid – 2020. We aim to achieve a cumulative installed capacity of over 2 GW by 2022 across geographies.

CleanMax has over 200 employees spread across projects, business development, finance and operations to cover all spectrum of the business. Head quartered out of Mumbai, we have seven offices across India, UAE and Thailand. Currently, in UAE, we have a project portfolio of over 25 MW and expanding our footprint in Thailand rapidly. Our track record with India’s top companies has made CleanMax a preferred partner for commercial and Industrial (C&I) across sectors, namely cement, manufacturing, food and beverages, automotive, pharmaceuticals, information technology, Education amongst others.

What has been the response in general from the cement industry to renewable power?
India is the second largest cement producer in the world and the demand for cement is further only expected to grow by multitudes due to demand in key sectors such as construction, infrastructure, real estate, etc.

The Indian cement industry is recognised globally as one of the most energy efficient in the world, with relatively large production units and the use of low-carbon, cost-effective technologies. The sector will still need to make significant efforts to achieve its carbon footprint reduction objectives. India’s cement industry has demonstrated its willingness to invest and reduce CO2 emissions and achieve a low-carbon future. The renowned cement company, ACC is one of our esteemed clients drawing per annum approximately 15 million solar electricity units from our solar farms and is reducing their carbon print significantly by abating around 14,400 tonnes of CO2 annually which is equivalent to planting 2,16,007 trees or getting 2,774 cars off the road.

How does the solar farm business operate?
Solar farms are large scale installations where photovoltaic panels, referred to as solar panels are used to harvest the power of the sun. The Solar farm business is operated in open access models, where the generated power from an offsite location is wheeled into the Cement producer’s facility by paying small charges to the grid operator Most corporates are making a stronger push towards going green, also sourcing solar power is the best way for them to reduce their carbon footprint. Environmentally conscious corporates are also adopting sustainable practices to fulfill their RE100 obligations. These companies are buying solar electricity through private solar farms to hedge their energy costs at the current prices for future use which is potentially 20 to 25 years. Including the servicing and maintenance costs of the plant over the years, the costs are negligible as compared to buying power from the grid. Most importantly, using solar power also demonstrates the sustainability commitment of the company.

Wheeling power from an "offsite" solar farm through the grid allows consumers to move the majority of their power requirement to renewables. The modalities vary from state to state, as regulations differ. But in nearly all large industrial states, CleanMax is now offering these solutions from a solar farm project within the state. In most cases, this requires a "group captive" legal structure, with some shareholding from the consumer. But there is now clarity on how regulations will treat these projects, and it is a great option for consumers to move the majority of their power consumption over to renewable energy.

While building a solar farm points to be kept in mind:
As a developer of solar farms, India is blessed with abundant sunlight which makes it ideal to adoption of Solar. Clear land without any shadows is of paramount importance. Demand from the local consumers, industries and easy grid connectivity are key factors which will determine the size of the farm, the equipment and the investments required.

Depending on the State where the farm is planned, the solar policy of the State, incentives if any, transmission and infrastructure charges throughout the life cycle; are factors to be considered during the planning stages. Accessible roads and/or the need to be constructed as part of the project will impact the costs of the farm. The financing of the project needs to be secured which could be equity or debt and this could vary from client to client depending on their respective requirements.

Adhering to safety standard and following security protocols are pertinent too. The project technicians should conform to all safety precautions at all times while installing or maintaining solar power plants. CleanMax prioritises the safety of people as well as the system; hence we carry out a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) before every project. This is important to pinpoint potential safety hazards and address them accordingly. As the solar power plant installations are at ground level, there is a possibility of accidental human contact; hence the area needs to be well isolated. Also, adequate and appropriate safety gear and processes adhered to is of crucial importance during maintenance activities.

Can you elaborate on remote monitoring and operation & maintenance? What kind of IT infrastructure you have deployed?
Operation and maintenance (O&M) is one of the most critical ways to ensure that the solar farm operates most optimally throughout its life-cycle. At CleanMax, we work to maintain the solar farm infrastructure and equipment, with the goal of improving the equipment’s life by preventing excess depreciation and impairment.

The O&M of solar farm requires periodic checks for ensuring optimal performance and security. All our solar farms are connected via SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems) and this is monitored at our central location across various parameters that measure the performance within a defined parameter. Any anomaly triggers an alarm that is relayed to ground staff to ensure a physical verification to prevent damage and rectify any errors as the case might be.

What are the main drivers for the cement industry to adopt solar energy? Some typical examples you would like to quote from the cement industry.
Sustainability is emerging as a major motivator for cement manufacturers. More and more corporates in India and around the world are making public pledges to source their power from renewable sources, such as through RE100. Equally important, they are making concrete plans to achieve these goals. Amongst the many options available, zero-investment renewable energy is a straightforward way for manufacturers to make meaningful progress towards sustainability goals in a single action method and without disruption to their operations.

For most companies, cost reduction is the most important factor to adopt solar power as the cement industry is a high guzzler of power. Across India, solar power provides electricity tariffs that are 30 to 50 per cent lower than the prevailing grid electricity tariffs for a rooftop or onsite solar farms. Solar farms can also provide large volumes of renewable power through the grid, in an open access or group captive basis, in most large states in India, also at a discount to grid electricity tariffs. All of this is possible with much any investment from the consumers’ end, which is a very attractive proposition.

Secondly, CleanMax’s innovative OPEX Model allows companies with healthy credit ratings to buy solar power without any capital expenditure and in a hassle-free manner. Thus, making it the most logical and reliable option of energy.

How can CleanMax help manufacturing units to reduce dependence on the grid without any investment?
At CleanMax, our mission has always been to help corporates achieve their sustainability targets while also saving cost. We offer manufacturers a way to reduce their power costs by 30 to 50 per cent (depending on the state), with zero or minimal investment through solar solutions.

We also take seriously the need to help clients get to their 100 per cent renewable goals. Rooftop solar plants are possible anywhere in India and are very cost effective, but they typically meet less than 15 to 20 per cent of a factory’s power consumption, and often much less. To source the majority of their consumption from renewables, consumers need to get power from solar farms through the grid, via open access or group captive power procurement models.

To service this need, CleanMax has expanded its large-scale offerings to almost all major states – if a manufacturer has factories in different states in India, chances are we can provide grid-connected renewable energy in most of those. The only states where we don’t provide open access power are those which don’t permit it at all. We are successfully providing approximately 17 million units of solar electricity annually to leading cement companies across different locations in India through our open access solar farms and rooftop solar projects, which means abating around 15,840 tonne CO2 per annum, equivalent to planting 2,37,608 trees or taking off 3,051 vehicles off the road.

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Concrete

Charting the Green Path

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The Indian cement industry has reached a critical juncture in its sustainability journey. In a landmark move, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has, for the first time, announced greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity reduction targets for 282 entities, including 186 cement plants, under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme, 2023. These targets, to be enforced starting FY2025-26, are aligned with India’s overarching ambition of achieving net zero emissions by 2070.
Cement manufacturing is intrinsically carbon-intensive, contributing to around 7 per cent of global GHG emissions, or approximately 3.8 billion tonnes annually. In India, the sector is responsible for 6 per cent of total emissions, underscoring its critical role in national climate mitigation strategies. This regulatory push, though long overdue, marks a significant shift towards accountability and structured decarbonisation.
However, the path to a greener cement sector is fraught with challenges—economic viability, regulatory ambiguity, and technical limitations continue to hinder the widespread adoption of sustainable alternatives. A major gap lies in the lack of a clear, India-specific definition for ‘green cement’, which is essential to establish standards and drive industry-wide transformation.
Despite these hurdles, the industry holds immense potential to emerge as a climate champion. Studies estimate that through targeted decarbonisation strategies—ranging from clinker substitution and alternative fuels to carbon capture and innovative product development—the sector could reduce emissions by 400 to 500 million metric tonnes by 2030.
Collaborations between key stakeholders and industry-wide awareness initiatives (such as Earth Day) are already fostering momentum. The responsibility now lies with producers, regulators and technology providers to fast-track innovation and investment.
The time to act is now. A sustainable cement industry is not only possible—it is imperative.

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Concrete

It is equally important to build resilient building structures

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Manoj Rustagi, Chief Sustainability Officer, JSW Cement, discusses how the adoption of ‘green’ practices in cement manufacturing could reshape the future of sustainable construction worldwide.

Cement is one of the most carbon-intensive materials in construction — but innovation is changing that. As sustainability becomes central to infrastructure, green cement is emerging as a viable low-carbon alternative. In this detailed interview with Manoj Rustagi, Chief Sustainability Officer, JSW Cement, we explore what makes cement ‘green’, its performance, and its future. From durability to cutting-edge technologies, here’s a look at the cement industry’s greener path forward.

What exactly is green cement, and how does it differ from traditional cement?
At this point in time, there is no standard for defining green cement. A very simple way to understand ‘Green Cement’ or ‘Low Carbon Cement’ is the one which emits much lower greenhouse gasses (GHG) compared to conventional cement (Ordinary Portland Cement – OPC) during its manufacturing process.
In India, there are many existing BIS Standards for different types of cement products. The most common are OPC; Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC); Portland Slag Cement (PSC) and Composite Cement (CC). While OPC emits maximum GHG during its manufacturing (approx 800-850 kg CO2/MT of OPC), PSC emits least GHG (approx 300-350 kg CO2/MT of PSC). As PSC is having close to 60 per cent lower CO2 emission compared to OPC, it is the greenest cement available in the Indian market.
There is already work happening at the central government level to define green cement, like it has been recently done for green steel, and hopefully in the next one year or so the standard definition would be available.

What are the key environmental benefits of using green cement?
The primary environmental benefits of green or low-carbon cement are:

  • Reduced CO2 emissions
  • Lower energy and power consumption
  • Conservation of limestone and fossil fuels
  • Utilisation of industrial by-products
  • (slag/fly ash)

Can green cement match the durability and strength of conventional cement?
PSC is much more durable than any other type of cement product. It has lower heat of hydration; the strength keeps on improving with time; and it has much higher resistance to chloride and sulphate attacks. Most of the concrete failures are because of chloride and sulphate attacks, which corrode the steel reinforcements and that is how cracks get initiated and propagated resulting in eventual concrete failures. For coastal applications, marine structures, seaports, and mass concreting, PSC is most suitable. Due to the intrinsic durability characteristics of PSC; it is a green and resilient cement product.
Usually everyone talks about lower GHG emissions, but it is equally important to build resilient building structures that can withstand natural calamities and have much longer lifespans. PSC is one cement type that is not only lowest in CO2 emissions but at the same time offers durability characteristics and properties (RCPT, RCMT, Mercury Intrusion, long term strength and flexural strength), which are unmatched.

What innovative technologies are being used to produce green cement?
To further reduce the CO2 emissions in the manufacturing process; some of the innovative technologies which are commercially viable are:

  • Alternative raw materials: Use of steel slag, red mud and other industrial by-products to substitute limestone
  • Alternative fuels: Use of RDF/MSW, pharmaceutical wastes like biomass etc., to substitute coal/pet-coke
  • Waste Heat Recovery (WHR): Power plants to generate electricity from waste heat
  • Renewable energy: Solar and wind energy instead of state grid

How cost-effective is green cement compared to traditional options?
All of the above innovative technologies do not increase the cost of manufacturing. There are some future technologies like Carbon Capture, Utilisation and/or Storage (CCUS), which are not commercially viable and would increase the cost of cement. As such, the options available today for low-carbon cement (like PSC) are not expensive.
The Government of India has recently notified Indian Carbon Market (ICM), which also includes the cement sector. Hopefully, this would help progressive companies to further reduce their carbon footprint.

What challenges does the industry face in adopting green cement on a large scale?
There is absolutely no incentive/motivation for builders/contractors to use green cement products and therefore there is practically no demand. While the industry has taken many steps. In fact the Indian cement industry is believed to be most energy efficient globally and has approximately 10 per cent lower GHG emissions compared to global average. But due to lack of awareness and lack of performance based standards; the demand for low carbon cement or green cement has not picked up in India.

Are governments and regulators supporting the shift to green cement?
In India, in the last couple of years, there have been many policy interventions which have been initiated. One of them, namely the carbon market is under notification; others like Green Public Procurement, Green Cement taxonomy and National CCUS Mission are in the advanced stages and are expected to be implemented in the next couple
of years.

How do you see the future of green cement in global construction?
Globally the built environment accounts for 40 per cent CO2 emissions; and the maximum embodied emissions come from cement and concrete. There is a lot of innovation happening in cement, concrete and construction. Basically, how we build and what material we use. And this is to do with both carbon mitigation as well as adaptation as the built environment is so important for sustainable living. Precast and pre-engineered buildings/structures, 3D concrete printing, ultra high performance concrete, digital and AI/ML interventions in construction, admixtures/improved concrete packing; and circularity in cement manufacturing are some examples. Low-carbon cement or green cement eventually will lead to ‘Net Zero CO2 emission’ cement, which would enable a ‘Net-Zero’ built environment that is needed for long term sustainability.

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Concrete

Solid Steps to Sustainability

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Milind Khangan, Marketing Manager, Vertex Market Research, looks at how India’s cement industry is powering a climate-conscious transformation with green cement at its core, aligning environmental urgency with economic opportunity.

The cement industry produces around eight per cent of the world’s total CO2 emissions. Process emissions, largely due to limestone calcination, contribute 50 to 60 per cent of these emissions and produce nearly one ton of CO2 per ton of cement produced.
India is a leading cement producer with an installed capacity of around 550 million tons (MMT) as of 2024. As the Government of India advances toward its 2070 net-zero target, green cement is becoming a major driver of this shift toward a low-carbon economy. It offers environmental sustainability as well as long-term operating efficiencies at scale. With the fast-paced urbanisation and infrastructure development across the nation, the use of green cement goes beyond environmental imperatives; it is also a strong strategic business opportunity. Indian cement players are some of the most sustainable and environmentally conscious players in the world, and indigenous cement demand in India is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 10 per cent until 2030.

Innovating sustainably
Green cement is an umbrella term that includes multiple advanced technologies and processes aimed at minimising the environmental footprint, and CO2 emissions of conventional cement manufacturing. This shift from traditional practices targets minimising the carbon footprint throughout the whole cement manufacturing process.

  • Clinker substitution: Substitution of high-carbon clinker with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in order to considerably lower emissions.
  • Alternative binders: Developing cementitious systems that require minimal or no clinker, reducing reliance on traditional methods.
  • Novel cements: Introducing new types of cement that depend less on limestone/clinker, utilising alternative modified processes and raw materials.
  • Energy efficiency and alternative fuels: Optimising energy utilisation in production and substituting fossil fuel with cleaner alternatives coming from waste or biomass.
  • Carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS): Trapping CO2 emissions at cement plants for recycling or geological storage.

Drivers and strategic opportunities
Robust infrastructure development pipeline: The government’s continued and massive investment in infrastructure (roads, railways, housing, smart cities) generates huge demand for cement. Crucially, there is a growing preference and sometimes direct requirement under public tenders for sustainable building materials, including green cement, which is giving a significant market stimulus.
India’s national climate commitments (NDC and Net Zero 2070): India’s commitments under the Paris Agreement (NDCs) and the long-term goal of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070 have set a clear direction for industrial decarbonisation. This national strategy necessitates action from high-emitting sectors such as cement to adopt green cement technologies and carbon-reducing innovations across the construction value chain. Notably, the Indian cement industry alone is expected to generate nearly 400 million tonnes of GHG emissions by 2030.
Regulatory mandates for fly ash utilisation: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has released a number of binding notifications that promote the use of fly ash from thermal power plants. These guidelines seek to reduce environmental impact by enhancing its extensive application in cement production, particularly in Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC). Fly ash acts as a pozzolanic material, reacting with calcium hydroxide to produce cementitious compounds, hence decreasing clinker consumption, a high-energy component contributing to high CO2 emissions. Through clinker substitution facilitation, such mandates directly enable the production of low-carbon green cement.
Promotion and utilisation of blast furnace slag: Steel plant slag utilisation policies provide a ready SCM for manufacturing Portland Slag Cement (PSC). This is advantageous in terms of the supply of another key raw material for green cement manufacturing.

Increased demand due to green building movement
The larger adoption of green building codes and certification systems such as GRIHA and LEED India by builders and developers promotes the use of materials with reduced carbon content. Cement products with a higher SCM content or produced through cleaner processes are preferred. A step in this direction was achieved in October 2021 when Dalmia Cement achieved the distinction of being the first Indian cement producer to be granted the Green Product Accreditation of GRIHA.
The Indian industry is actively investing in R&D for new binders such as geopolymer cement, alkali-activated materials and limestone calcined clay cement (LC3). Research institutions including IIT Madras are collaborating with industry to scale these technologies. Although Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) is still at a nascent stage in India, it represents a potential frontier for long-term decarbonisation in the cement sector.
The MoEFCC has published draft regulations under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), 2023, in the form of the Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity Target Rules, 2025. The draft notification requires 186 cement units in India to lower their GHG emission intensity from FY 2025-26. Non-compliant manufacturers will have to purchase carbon credit certificates or face penalties, creating a clear regulatory and financial incentive to adopt cleaner technology. The CCTS will promote technology and practice adoption that reduces the carbon intensity of cement manufacturing, potentially resulting in the use of green cement and other low-carbon substitutes for cement.
India’s leading cement companies like UltraTech, Shree Cement, and Dalmia Bharat have made science-based targets and net-zero emissions pledges in line with the GCCA 2050 Cement and Concrete Industry Roadmap. These self-declarations are hastening the shift towards clean cement manufacturing technology and renewable energy procurement.

Challenges and complexities in India’s green cement transition
Economic viability and cost challenges: High production costs associated with low-carbon cement technologies remain a significant hurdle. The absence of strict carbon pricing and poor financial incentives slow down rapid uptake on a large scale. Although green cement is currently costlier than conventional options, greater market adoption and scale-driven efficiencies are expected to progressively narrow this price gap, enhancing commercial viability over time. As these technologies mature, their broader deployment will become more feasible.
Inconsistent supply chain of SCMs: A dependable supply of high-quality Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs), such as fly ash and slag, is crucial. But in the course of decarbonisation of India’s power generation and industry sectors, SCMs reliability and availability may become intermittent. Strong, decentralised logistics and material processing units must be developed in order to provide uninterrupted and economical SCM supply chains to cement producers.

Gaps in technical standards and performance benchmarks
Although PPC and PSC are well-supported by existing BIS codes, standards for newer materials such as calcined clay, geopolymer binders and other novel SCMs require timely development and updates. Maintaining steady performance, lasting robustness, and usage dependability in varying climatic and structural applications will be key to instilling market faith in other forms of cement formulation. Market stakeholders are also supporting separate BIS codes for the green cement sub-categories for helping to build and sustain standardisation and trust.

Scaling of emerging technologies
Scaling promising technology, especially CCUS, from pilots to commercial scales within the Indian context involves significant investment of capital, technical manpower, and a facilitating regulatory environment. The creation of infrastructure for transportation and long-term storage of CO2 will be critical. While these facilitative systems are implemented, cement makers will be well-placed to decarbonise their operations and achieve national sustainability goals.

The way ahead
The Indian cement industry is poised to enter a revolutionary era, where decarbonisation and sustainability are at the heart of expansion. Industry players and the government need to join hands in an integrated manner throughout the cement value chain to spearhead this green revolution. Cement companies must embrace new technologies to lower the emissions like the utilisation of alternative fuels like biomass, industrial wastes, and recycled materials and utilisation of waste heat recovery systems to make energy efficient. The electrification of logistics and kilns, investigation of high-heat alternative products, and CCUS technology investments must be made to decarbonise production. Sophisticated additives such as polymers can improve cement performance with reduced environmental footprint.
At the policy level, the government has to introduce support measures such as stable carbon pricing, tax relief, viability gap funding, and initiatives such as the PLI scheme to encourage the use of renewable energy in cement manufacturing. Instruments such as carbon contracts can stabilise carbon credit prices and reduce market risk, encouraging investment in low-carbon technologies. Updating BIS standards for newer green cement formulations and SCMs is also critical for market acceptance and confidence. Green cement mandates in public procurement and long-term offtake contracts have the potential to generate stable demand, and green financing windows can guarantee commercial viability of near-zero carbon technologies. Cement greening is not a choice, it is a necessity for constructing a climate-resilient, sustainable India.

About the author:
Milind Khangan, Marketing Manager, Vertex Market Research, comes with more than five years of experience in market research and lead generation. He is responsible for developing new marketing plans and innovations in lead generation, having expertise in creating a technically strong website that generates leads for startups in market research.

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