Concrete

Many industries have limited options to decarbonise

Published

4 years ago

October 13, 2022

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In the light of the recent announcement by NTPC of using Carbon Clean’s CDRMax™ carbon capture technology, Prateek Bumb, Co-Founder & CTO, Carbon Clean Solutions Limited, discusses their technology and its impact on industrial decarbonisation.

Tell us about the design and carbon capture power of the NTPC Power Plant by Carbon Clean.
The carbon capture plant is designed to capture 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per day, from the flue gas of Unit-13 of the Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station. The CO2 will eventually be combined with hydrogen to produce 10 tonnes per day of methanol through a catalytic hydrogenation process.
Carbon Clean’s CDRMax™ carbon capture technology is being used for this demonstration project, which is the first step toward decarbonising the power plant. The objectives of the project are to review the economics, design optimisation and waste heat utilisation, in order to further reduce the overall cost of carbon capture and utilisation. Evidence suggests that it will be both feasible and cost-effective, by using our carbon capture technology – CDRMaxTM.

What is the key technology backing the power plant?
Carbon Clean’s CDRMax™ carbon capture technology can be used with point source gases that contain CO2 concentrations between 3 per cent and 25 per cent by volume and produces CO2 with purities greater than 99 per cent, which can then be sold, reused or sequestered.
The CDRMax™ process uses Carbon Clean’s proprietary solvent, process equipment design, and advanced heat integration to significantly reduce both capital and operating costs. Due to an extremely low rate of corrosion, smaller equipment, and other improvements, CDRMax™ has been proven to provide a 20 per cent CapEx reduction compared to other available solutions. Thanks to lower heat and energy demand, CDRMax™ reduces OpEx by 30 per cent to 40 per cent compared to other available carbon capture solutions.

Tell us about the disposal of the captured carbon.
Carbon utilisation or storage at industrial plants is determined on a case-by-case basis. For example, the carbon captured at the St Fergus Gas plant will be transported and permanently stored offshore, as part of the Acorn Project. Meanwhile, in a project with Tuticorin Alkali Chemicals & Fertilizers Limited, India, the captured carbon is converted to soda ash and sold to Unilever, which uses it to manufacture cleaning products.

What impact is Carbon Clean planning to make on industrial decarbonisation?
Heavy industry accounts for around 30 per cent of global carbon emissions. Many industries – such as cement, steel, and refineries – have limited options to decarbonise. Point source carbon capture offers these industries a means of tackling their emissions and it is available now.
Carbon Clean is leading innovation in point source carbon capture and addressing the barriers to mass deployment, which have mainly been the cost and space requirements to install the technology.
Our latest fully modular carbon capture solution, CycloneCC, overcomes these barriers. CycloneCC has a footprint that is up to 50 per cent smaller than conventional carbon capture units and it will be deployable in less than eight weeks. It also has the potential to reduce CapEx and OpEx by up to 50 per cent and drive down the cost of carbon capture to $30/tonne on average, which would make the economic case for carbon capture undeniable.
This latest innovation, alongside Carbon Clean’s recent funding round, puts the company on track to deliver industrial decarbonisation on a gigatonne scale by the mid-2030s.

How do you picture your contribution to the Indian industrial economy›s goal to reach net zero by 2070?
Outside of the project with NTCP, Carbon Clean is working with Tata Steel and Tuticorin Alkali Chemicals & Fertilizers in India. We also have a joint venture with Veolia – Veolia Carbon Clean – that is committed to reducing industrial carbon dioxide emissions and helping India achieve its climate goals through the development of a series of carbon capture and compressed biogas (CBG) projects.
Looking forward, achieving net zero in India, will require a collaborative effort between hard-to-abate sectors, government and technology providers, such as Carbon Clean.

–Kanika Mathur

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Concrete

Cement Demand Strong As Prices Remain Stable

Volumes rise amid steady trade pricing and higher fuel costs

Published

2 days ago

September 11, 2026

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Channel checks show cement demand remained healthy with volume growth estimated at six to seven per cent in July and August 2026. Trade prices were broadly stable while non-trade prices were volatile in the East, and attempted hikes were rolled back amid higher competition. Average fuel costs rose in August by five to nine per cent, lifting spot petcoke and coal prices.

All-India trade price remained flat month on month in August as increased rake supplies and competition offset early increases. Monsoon related demand softness limited sustained hikes and dealers indicated further attempts would depend on demand trends. Combined July and August volumes were estimated at six to seven per cent, supported by infrastructure spending while retail housing remained weather sensitive.

In the South, a Rs20 a bag hike in August did not hold and prices stayed flat month on month, while dealers planned Rs25 to Rs30 a bag from fifth September 2026 but with uncertain sustainability. In the East, trade prices were unchanged and non-trade prices corrected by Rs15 to Rs20 a bag amid weak construction in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha.

The West remained most resilient on pricing and demand despite attempted hikes of Rs10 to Rs15 a bag, and Gujarat saw relatively better volumes in August. North and Central markets kept prices range bound as players focused on ramping up utilisation of new capacity, with schemes of up to Rs2 to Rs3 a bag used to meet month-end targets. Overall construction activity improved as the monsoon eased, aiding a pickup in several states.

Fuel cost pressures persisted, with South African coal at USD114 a t and petcoke around USD146 to USD147 a t in August, while spot imported petcoke and coal were higher. Imported coal consumption cost stood at Rs2.07 per Kcal and petcoke at USD2.11 per Kcal. Analysts estimate the all-India trade spread to decline by Rs90 to Rs100 a t quarter on quarter, weighing on near-term profitability and they prefer UltraTech Cement (UTCEM), JK Cement (JKCE) and Grasim Industries (GRASIM).

Concrete

Aditya Birla Group Launches Ultravolt Wires And Cables Business

UltraTech extends building solutions into electrical wiring

Published

4 days ago

September 9, 2026

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Aditya Birla Group has entered the wires and cables market through Ultravolt, extending UltraTech’s move from building materials into building solutions. The shift builds on UltraTech Building Solutions, a multi-category platform that already addresses customers across different stages of construction and extends beyond cement into ready-mix concrete, waterproofing, tile-fixing solutions and mortars.

The company intends to enter with scale, seeking presence across 100,000 retailers in more than 500 districts and availability through 5,000 plus UltraTech Building Solutions (UBS) outlets. The portfolio spans house wires, light-duty cables, communication cables, solar cables and low-tension and industrial cables to meet changing electrical requirements driven by solar installations, communications infrastructure and industrial automation.

An upstream advantage begins in the Group’s metals ecosystem, with conductor quality central to product performance. Ultravolt wires will use TruePure Copper, defined as 99.97 per cent pure electrolytic-grade annealed copper sourced from Hindalco, providing greater control over raw material quality and provenance and supporting electrical performance, safety and durability.

The business also targets the electrician community as a decisive influence on product choice and installation quality. The Wires and Cables Business has launched a Skill India Electrician Training Programme in partnership with the Electronics Sector Skills Council of India that aims to train and certify more than 40,000 electricians across India over the next year, focusing on safe wiring practices, correct installation and advanced wire technologies and offering Skill India-aligned certification and identification credentials.

The move combines market opportunity, UltraTech’s construction ecosystem, manufacturing capability and Group-level resources. A large Gujarat facility, advanced machinery and in-house testing and research and development underpin the product strategy, which is designed for both traditional and emerging applications. The ambition is to build a scaled national brand and become one of the top two players within five years, making the Group an integral participant in modern building infrastructure.

Concrete

Ramco Cements Mine Restoration Gets Global Biodiversity Certification

Pandalgudi mine restoration receives Advanced Certification from TGBS

Published

4 days ago

September 9, 2026

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The ecological restoration of Ramco Cements’ limestone mine at Pandalgudi in Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu, has received international recognition with the site being awarded Advanced Certification by The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS). The recognition makes Pandalgudi the first site in Peninsular India to receive the certification and places it among globally recognised biodiversity restoration projects.

TGBS, recognised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), assesses biodiversity restoration projects based on scientific evaluation and their contribution to ecosystem recovery and local communities. The certification is supported by more than 250 scientists and academics worldwide.

Spread across over 500 acres of worked-out mine areas, the restoration project includes a certified 234-acre site. Initiated in 2018 with technical support from Auroville Botanical Gardens, the project began plantation activities in 2019 and is expected to be completed by 2027. More than 430,000 native trees and shrubs belonging to 150 ecologically significant species have been planted at the site.

The restored mine, which was once a barren landscape with limited biodiversity, has recorded over 72 bird species and 53 butterfly species. The project has also captured an estimated 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the past seven years, supporting broader sustainability and carbon reduction goals.

Opened officially in 2022, the site has attracted more than 13,000 visitors through educational programmes for schools, colleges and training institutions. The restoration initiative has also contributed to the development of the Rajapalayam Masterplan and supported Tamil Nadu’s carbon neutrality ambitions.

Commenting on the achievement, Mr P. R. Venketrama Raja, Chairman, Ramco Group, said the company aims for the Pandalgudi restoration project to serve as an inspiration and blueprint for the mining industry in India. Dr David Bartholomew, CEO, The Global Biodiversity Standard, highlighted the project’s long-term commitment to biodiversity recovery and independent assessment of ecological outcomes.

The certification reinforces Ramco Cements’ focus on sustainable mining practices and ecological restoration as part of its commitment towards a carbon-neutral future.