Concrete

RBI asks cement industry to use green tech to reduce emissions

India’s cement output is likely to reach 381 mt by 2021-22

Published

4 years ago

April 25, 2022

admin

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) urged technological intervention to reduce these carbon emissions from the cement sector, which would help India to achieve its net-zero emission objectives.

The RBI said that India’s goal of obtaining half of its energy needs from renewable sources and reducing the economy’s carbon intensity by 45% by 2030 requires a policy relook across sectors, especially where carbon emission is high, and the cement industry is one of them.

Recent advancements in green technology, notably in reverse calcination, present promising potential for the cement industry.

As per the RBI report, India’s cement output is likely to reach 381 million tonnes (mt) by 2021-22, while consumers would be about 379 mt. The report noted that a renewed focus on large infrastructure projects such as the National Infrastructure Pipeline, low-cost housing (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana), and the government’s push for the SMART cities mission would likely increase cement demand in the future.

It said that the net-zero emission regulations commitment of India is threatened by this promise.

The RBI’s analysis is by the India Energy Outlook 2021, which states that most of the buildings that will exist in India in 2040 have yet to be completed, and the country’s growing economy, population, urbanisation, and industrialisation would all contribute to this.

Given this future situation, the RBI has advised that India’s economic goals be aligned with its climate objectives by integrating developing green technology solutions.

It explained that calcination accounts for a large portion of CO2 emissions in cement production, with the balance coming from coal and other fossil fuels.

The studies show that the most efficient strategy to decarbonise the cement industry is to capture CO2 emissions before they could enter the environment and store it through reverse calcination.

Currently, reverse calcination can sequester up to 5% of cement emissions, but with advancements in technology, this might be increased to 30%. This method may be improved even further by using renewable energy instead of fossil fuels to do the calcination.

RBI said that biomass such as municipal and industrial waste may be utilised as an alternative to fossil fuels.

Image Source

Also read: Cement companies are investing in new age technologies

Up Next

Holcim to make cement more sustainable & environment friendly

Don't Miss

JSW in talks with PE firm to join Holcim cement operations

Concrete

Jammu Division Begins First Cement Rail Traffic to Anantnag

Cement Loading From Kathua for Anantnag to Begin on September 14

Published

3 days ago

September 21, 2026

admin

Jammu Railway Division has placed an indent for the first movement of cement by rail within the division, linking Shaheed Captain Sunil Kumar Choudhary Kathua Railway Station with Anantnag Railway Station. Loading for the consignment is scheduled to begin on September 14.

Concrete

Hard Worker Wins Three Honours at Kyoorius Design Awards

Ramco Cements’ brand secures Grand Prix and two Blue Elephant honours.

Published

3 days ago

September 21, 2026

admin

The Ramco Cements Limited’s construction chemicals brand, Hard Worker, has won three honours at the Kyoorius Design Awards 2026, including the Grand Prix – Grey Elephant in the Design in Action category.

The brand also secured two Blue Elephant honours, one for Design in Action and another for Packaging, recognising the design approach behind its brand identity and packaging.

Launched in 2025, Hard Worker entered the construction chemicals segment with the brand promise, “Hard-working products for hardworking people.” Its visual identity uses animals and birds to represent product benefits. The camel represents the water-retention capability of Hard Worker Eco Plaster, while the cheetah represents the speed and performance of Hard Worker Block Fix.

The visual language has been extended across packaging, retail, communication, literature, digital platforms and other brand touchpoints. Hard Worker uses bold colours, distinctive animal illustrations and simple visual storytelling to communicate product benefits across markets and audiences, including construction workers and applicators.

“For Hard Worker, design was never an afterthought. It was fundamental to how we wanted to build the brand. In a category that is largely functional, we wanted to create a brand that people could recognise, understand and remember instantly. The Kyoorius recognition is a wonderful validation of this design-led approach,” said Mr. AV Dharmakrishnan, CEO, The Ramco Cements Limited.

Mr. Balaji K. Moorthy, Executive Director – Marketing, Ramco Cements said “In a category where communication has traditionally been product-led and functional, we wanted Hard Worker to stand apart by making design an integral part of the brand experience. From the distinctive animal-led packaging to our communication across consumer and trade touchpoints, every element was designed to make the brand more memorable and the product benefits easier to understand.”

Within its first 12 months, Hard Worker crossed Rs 3.5 bn in sales. The latest recognition follows six honours secured by the brand’s campaign at the Kyoorius Creative Awards earlier in 2026, including the Grey Elephant Grand Prix for its Eco Plaster film.

The Kyoorius Design Awards recognise outstanding design work in India’s visual communications sector across multiple categories and platforms. The 2026 awards were announced on 12 September in Goa.

The Ramco Cements Limited is part of the Ramco Group and operates across cement and allied building-material solutions. Hard Worker is its construction chemicals brand, offering solutions across key construction applications.

Concrete

Cement Firms to Invest Rs. 130 bn in Green Energy by FY28

Cement companies plan to expand clean energy capacity to 6 GW by FY28

Published

7 days ago

September 17, 2026

admin

India’s major cement companies are set to raise their clean energy capacity to 6 GW by March 2028 from around 4 GW at the end of March 2026, according to ratings agency ICRA. The planned expansion is expected to involve investments of Rs. 130 bn over the next two years.

The additional capacity could generate annual savings of Rs. 62 bn to Rs. 67 bn, resulting in an estimated payback period of 1.8 to 2.2 years. Cement is an emission-intensive industry, and leading producers have established net-zero roadmaps covering the next 15 to 20 years.

The calcination process accounts for 57 to 60 per cent of the sector’s total emissions, while fuel combustion contributes 27 to 30 per cent and electricity consumption accounts for 10 to 13 per cent. ICRA said the figures highlighted the need for a broad decarbonisation strategy involving green power, blended cement, alternative fuels and improvements in clinker efficiency.

Green energy is considered one of the most commercially attractive decarbonisation options because it can reduce emissions while lowering operating costs. Every 5 per cent increase in green power replacement can reduce power and fuel costs by Rs. 15 to Rs. 16 per tonne. A 25 per cent replacement level could therefore save Rs. 75 to Rs. 80 per tonne and expand operating margins by 140 to 160 basis points.

Cement producers are also assessing carbon capture, utilisation and storage, although high implementation costs, energy requirements and limited transport and storage infrastructure are expected to slow commercial adoption. The government has proposed Rs. 200 bn over five years to support deployment across key sectors. Meanwhile, companies are targeting thermal substitution rates of 10 to 15 per cent over the next three to five years, compared with the current industry level of around 6 per cent.