Environment
Cement industry has become more cost effective and efficient by implementing environmental regulation.
Published
5 years agoon
By
admin
Wonder Cement is a cement manufacturing company, enriched with the heritage of R.K. Marble, a leading name in the marble industry. The cement plant is located in Nimbahera, District Chittorgarhin Rajasthan, with three production lines, has a capacity of producing 9.50 Million Tons Per Annum (MTPA) of clinker. With the commencement of grinding unit in Dhule, Maharashtra and Bhadnawar, Madhya Pradesh, with the capacity of 2 MTPA each, it’s cement manufacturing capacity has increased to 11MTPA. Now, the company is going to commission its third grinding unit in Jhajjar, Haryana so as to facilitate an increase in combined production capacity of 13 MTPA by January, 2021.
Interview with Vivek Patni, Director, Wonder Cement
1.How do you see the year ahead in terms of sale and capacity utilization post pandemic of Covid-19? How about the revival of construction sector?
We see the demand revival from October – December 2020 quarter. We see capacity utilization to be in the range from 65% to 70% on all India basis However, in North region, where we are working, capacity utilization will be in the range of 75%.
2.How has environmental regulation affected the cement industry in the past one decade and how do you expect it to influence it over the next decade?
The Cement Industry has responded to environment regulation very positively. The industry has become more clean and green in last two decade. The industry under its responsibility towards environment has implemented the regulation very effectively. I feel that industry has become more cost effective and efficient by implementing environmental regulation.
The Industry is continuously working on reduction of Greenhouses Gases.
3.What impact you think this will have on the competitiveness of the cement industry, the cost of production, product quality and profitability?
The Cement Industry has become more cost effective by implementing stringent environment regulations. The carbon foot print has reduced by increasing blended Cement, WHRS installation and uses of alternate fuels and Raw materials. These measures not only made industry more environmentally friendly but it reduces the Cost of Production and also improves its efficiency parameters.
4.What are the chances of climate change groups directly or indirectly influencing the Indian cement industry in terms of limiting capacity additions, affecting the choice of fuels, influencing the product mix, etc? What are likely to be the future drivers?
The climate change groups are becoming more and more active. These groups will ask for reduction of CO2 and Nox (both are greenhouses gases). With the new development in technologies and research going, CO2 capturing will be possible. With changes in Cement manufacturing process, Nox reduction is also very much possible. However, the new technology of CO2 capturing and Nox reduction becoming technically and commercially viable may take some time but it will be possible to reduce/minimize the impact on climate change by technology adoption.
The real challenges on capacity addition/size of plant are from the land owners in the context of cement industry. With the new regulations of land acquisition, it is becoming very difficult to acquire the mining and plant land. Therefore, I see bigger challenges from Environmentalist on account of land acquisition and rehabilitation of project affected area.
5.How has the implementation of the latest environmental norms in the cement industry fared so far and how do you see it faring in the future, in terms of the ease or difficulty in the actual implementation of the environmental norms, financial impact, technical difficulties, etc. and do you think these norms need any re-visit?
The implementation of latest regulations of Environment did not pose big challenge. The industry has adopted and implemented regulations upto great extent. The new regulations of SPM of 30 mg/NM3 are very well adopted by industry. The Indian Cement Industry is working on controlling NOx as prescribed by regulating authorities.
Achieving the latest regulations on NOx has been a challenge for industry. The industry is in process of installing SCNR and also re-designing the process to minimize NOx generations.
The regulations of Land Acquisition and rehabilitation are bigger challenges. The land acquisition is delayed the project implementations.
The other challenges for industry are drawing of underground water. Because of NGT orders, it has become very difficult to get permission/renewal ground water withdrawal. However, industry is switching over to technology where water consumption can be minimized/eliminated. One such example is the raw material grinding in roll press. Grate cooler is designed without water spray. The ESP is being replaced with Bag filters to avoid uses of water.
6.What is your expectation in the availability and pricing of coal in India over the next decade? Is there a likelihood of environmental groups effectively dissuading the industry from using coal? What alternatives are likely to arise?
I do not see availability of Coal for manufacturing Cement will be a constraint during next decade. However, the Industry focus will be there to reduce uses of Fossil Fuel. Following will be the drives:
(i)Increase uses of Alternate Fuel like Industrial Waste and Bio Mass.
(ii)Reduction of specific power and fuel consumption.
(iii)More and more uses of Power Generated from Waste Heat.
(iv)Increase of share of Renewal Energy
(v)The present TSR (Thermal Substitution Rate) in Indian Cement Industry is around 3 to 5%. However, industry is now putting of equipment and machinery gearing upto use all type of Waste material generated by industrial units. The Bio mass is already being utilized in Cement Kiln and Power Plants.
7.What has been the extent of Alternative Fuels & Raw Materials (AFR) usage in the cement industry in general and your cement plants in particular in the past and how much Thermal Substitution Rate (TSR) do you think we can achieve over the next decade?
The present TSR in Cement Industry is around 5%. With growing awareness about disposal of waste in Cement Kilns, I am very sure that TSR is going to increase in days to come.
The Cement Industry is gearing up to dispose of any type of waste material in their Kilns by installing waste handling and processing Equipment.
We at Wonder Cement have started working on uses of AFR. The Capex has been sanctioned. The installation work is in progress. We expect to start using AFR by 2021.
I feel by next decade, the Industry will have minimum TSR of 25%. The challenges in increasing the uses of AFR are getting clearance of Pollution Board.
8.How has information technology impacted the cement industry in the past two decades and how do you expect it to change over the next decade? What are likely to be the future drivers?
The IT had played key role in the manufacturing process of Cement. More and more processes are being automated. In coming year, Industry will adopt many tools to monitor sales and will strengthen sales force to improve their sales, generate leads and convert leads to sales. IT will have bigger role in controlling logistic cost by way optimizing whereas locations, distributions from plant and warehouses, it will also optimizing fleet size. The Industry is moving paper less operations.
9.How the deteriorating limestone quality in future will have impact on cement manufacturing in next 10 years. What type of innovations in equipment or Process Technology do you foresee to tackle this problem?
Lime stone beneficiation will be the key to use low grade lime stone quality. Lot of R & D work is being done for beneficiation of Lime Stone. Wonder Cement is also working on such project for beneficiation.
Vivek Patni is the young member of Patni family and Director of Wonder Cement.

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.
Concrete
It is equally important to build resilient building structures
Published
3 weeks agoon
May 13, 2025By
admin
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.

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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