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Carbon Capture: A Reality Check

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2 years ago

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What are the recent developments in carbon capture technology, and the challenges faced in making it more accessible to cement companies, discusses Dr Jose Casaban, Co-CEO, MOF Technologies.

Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are a new class of engineerable, super porous, sponge like solid materials that enable more efficient gas separation, gas storage and delivery solutions. MOFs are made up of two components: metal ions and organic ligands (also known as ‘linkers’) that are interconnected, creating repeatable porous networks that allow entrapment of specific gas molecules through physical adsorption. The choice of metal and linker allows us to engineer porous structures with unprecedented capacity and selectivity for a targeted gas molecule like CO2.
MOF Technologies has harnessed the unique properties of MOFs such as high CO2 capacity, selectivity and heatless regeneration and has engineered an ultra-energy efficient carbon capture system that uses pressure instead of heat to release the captured CO2 from the MOF filter. In principle, the carbon capture system combines mature vacuum swing adsorption technology with the novel highly performing MOF adsorbent material. By this way, CO2 can be separated from flue gas streams with an energy input of less than 1 GJ per tonne of CO2, cutting the energy requirements for carbon capture by up to 80 per cent versus the state-of-the-art amine scrubbing solutions. This represents a step change in carbon capture innovation that will bring down the costs for carbon removal and enable the mass adoption of CCS in hard-to-abate industries like cement.

Trial by Fuel
This year, the Nuada Carbon Capture technology was shortlisted by the Global Cement and Concrete Association’s (GCCA) Innovandi Open Challenge as one of the most promising technologies to decarbonise this hard-to-abate sector. This global programme aimed at fostering innovation within the cement industry by partnering GCCA member companies with innovative start-ups from around the world to ‘accelerate and commercialise the development of promising decarbonisation technologies.’
MOF Technologies was chosen as one of six start-ups, from more than 100 global entrants to the Open Challenge, to form formal consortiums with cement industry leaders for piloting innovative decarbonisation technologies. The company is now partnered
with Buzzi Unicem, Cementir Holdings and HeidelbergCement who will have the opportunity
to have a first glance of the innovative carbon capture technology and test the pilot plant for their flue gas. Their pilot plant is currently under construction, expected to be in operation during summer of 2023 to showcase the in-field performance of the Nuada Carbon Capture technology. This is an opportunity to prove the performance of this technology in its scaled-up form at the production sites of these three key GCCA members and enhance the confidence of the sector that Nuada will play a pivotal role for cement decarbonisation.

Technology and Productivity
Nuada Carbon Capture is an End-of-Pipe (EoP) solution that provides the opportunity to treat emissions directly from the stack without any modifications to the existing cement manufacturing processes.
This technology uses modular units that are prefabricated and containerised, so they can be easily installed on site with minimum disruption to the manufacturing operations. The modular nature of the technology provides flexibility for its end users to treat different scales of emissions and gradually add to the carbon capture capacity on their sites, in alignment with the evolution of carbon emission allowance schemes. Exploiting the high-capacity of MOF materials, Nuada carbon capture systems are designed to be very compact, occupying a minimum footprint to provide the comfort of retrofitting these systems, especially in cement production sites with minimum free space.
This is beneficial since most existing cement manufacturing sites were not built with a provision for adding a carbon capture process. Another advantage of this technology is the requirement of electricity as the only energy source to operate these carbon capture plants. Competitive technologies like amine-based solutions require copious amounts of steam, which is not always available on site and their integration in a cement plant is far more challenging. Overall, Nuada is a plug-and-play, easy to install and flexible carbon capture solution that can be easily retrofitted on existing cement plants. While these features will facilitate the adoption of this technology within the cement industry, the core advantage of this carbon capture system is its ultra-high energy efficiency, which slashes the cost associated with carbon capture and enables cement manufacturers to reduce their emissions, with the lowest possible impact on the cost of cement production.

Challenges Ahead
The development of this groundbreaking technology did not happen overnight. Instead, MOF Technologies have spent the last decade on developing knowhow around the development, production, shaping, optimisation, and testing of MOF materials combined with continuously increasing engineering capabilities for the design and prototyping of MOF-based systems. The company has gained a global reputation as the MOF material experts by collaborating with several blue-chip companies for the co-development of MOF-based solutions.
These collaborations have enriched the engineering knowhow for developing MOF-based adsorption systems whilst being part of EU-funded carbon capture projects with better insights about the carbon capture technology requirements. It was the inherited knowledge from the challenges and the lessons learnt across their R&D pedigree that has enriched their large IP portfolio, enabled technology breakthroughs, and now minimises the obstacles of commercial deployment for the innovative carbon capture technology. MOF Technologies is using the industrially scaled and proven Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption (VPSA) technology, so there are existing supply chains that can be immediately utilised to construct larger scale carbon capture systems. In addition, the company has already scaled up the production of the MOF filter and is now producing enough MOF material in-house to support commercial scales of carbon capture systems. While the road to commercial deployment of the Nuada carbon capture technology is relatively open, the real challenge ahead is to gain operating hours. By demonstrating the high in-field performance of Nuada and growing the industry’s confidence, they can move towards larger scale systems.

Curbing Emissions
The company sees cleantech as a necessity for curbing future emissions. Among the options to tackle emissions from heavy polluting industries, carbon capture is widely regarded as a key lever for achieving net zero targets. For example, carbon capture is accounting for a total of 36 per cent emissions reductions by 2050 in the cement industry according to the GCCA’s net zero roadmap. However, the IPCC is quoted as saying, “Currently, global rates of carbon capture and storage deployment are far below those in modelled pathways limiting global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C.” This is because the technology’s rollout has been hindered by cost, energy-efficiency and other challenges. This generates extra pressure for innovation, cross-collaboration between technology developers and emitters, and investment in carbon capture projects. Innovative climate technologies like the Nuada carbon capture system, which addresses the main caveats for the mass adoption of CCUS, will prove transformational, not only in achieving Net Zero targets but in improving the quality of life for the people of the world.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dr Jose Casaban is a globally recognised CCUS expert with rich experience in sorbent materials and gas separation processes. He is leading the rapid expansion of MOF Technologies that will accelerate the decarbonisation of the cement industry.

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Adani’s Strategic Emergence in India’s Cement Landscape

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4 days ago

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September 16, 2025

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Milind Khangan, Marketing Head, Vertex Market Research, sheds light on Adani’s rapid cement consolidation under its ‘One Business, One Company’ strategy while positioning it to rival UltraTech, and thus, shaping a potential duopoly in India’s booming cement market.

India is the second-largest cement-producing country in the world, following China. This expansion is being driven by tremendous public investment in the housing and infrastructure sectors. The industry is accelerating, with a boost from schemes such as PM Gati Shakti, Bharatmala, and the Vande Bharat corridors. An upsurge in affordable housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) further supports this expansion. In May 2025, local cement production increased about 9 per cent from last year to about 40 million metric tonnes for the month. The combined cement capacity in India was recorded at 670 million metric tonnes in the 2025 fiscal year, according to the Cement Manufacturers’ Association (CMA). For the financial year 2026, this is set to grow by another 9 per cent.
In spite of the growing demand, the Indian cement industry is highly competitive. UltraTech Cement (Aditya Birla Group) is still the market leader with domestic installed capacity of more than 186 MTPA as on 2025. It is targeted to achieve 200 MTPA. Adani Cement recently became a major player and is now India’s second-largest cement company. It did this through aggressive consolidation, operational synergies, and scale efficiencies. Indian players in the cement industry are increasingly valuing operational efficiency and sustainability. Some of the strategies with high impact are alternative fuels and materials (AFR) adoption, green cement expansion, and digital technology investments to offset changing regulatory pressure and increasing energy prices.

Building Adani Cement brand
Vertex Market Research explains that the Adani Group is executing a comprehensive reorganisation and consolidation of its cement business under the ‘One Business, One Company’ strategy. The plan is to integrate its diversified holdings into one consolidated corporate entity named Adani Cement. The focus is on operating integration, governance streamlining, and cost reduction in its expanding cement business.
Integration roadmap and key milestones:

  • September 2022: The consolidation process started with the $6.4 billion buyout of Holcim’s majority stakes in Ambuja Cements and ACC, with Ambuja becoming the focal point of the consolidation.
  • December 2023: Bought Sanghi Industries to strengthen the firm’s presence in western India.
  • August 2024: Added Penna Cement to the portfolio, improving penetration of the southern market of India.
  • April 2025: Further holding addition in Orient Cement to 46.66 per cent by purchasing the same from CK Birla Group, becoming the promoter with control.
  • Ambuja Cements amalgamated with Adani Cement: This was sanctioned by the NCLT on 18th July 2025 with effect from April 1, 2024. This amalgamation brings in limestone reserves and fresh assets into Ambuja.
  • Subject to Sanghi and Penna merger with Ambuja: Board approvals in December 2024 with the aim to finish between September to December 2025.
  • Ambuja-ACC future integration: The latter is being contemplated as the final step towards consolidation.
  • Orient Cement: It would serve as a principal manufacturing facility following the merger.

Scale, capacity expansion and market position
In financial year-2025, Adani Cement, including Ambuja, surpassed 100 MTPA. This makes it one of the world’s top ten cement companies. Along with ACC’s operations, it is now firmly placed as India’s second-largest cement company. In FY25, the Adani group’s sales volume per annum clocked 65 million metric tonnes. Adani Group claims that it now supplies close to 30 per cent of the cement consumed in India’s homes and infrastructure as of June 2025.
The organisation is pursuing aggressive brownfield expansion:

  • By FY 2026: Reach 118 MTPA
  • By FY 2028: Target 140 MTPA

These goals will be driven by commissioning new clinker and grinding units at key sites, with civil and mechanical works underway.
As of 2024, Adani Cement had its market share pegged at around 14 to 15 per cent, with an ambition to scale this up to 20 per cent by FY?2028, emerging as a potent competitor to UltraTech’s 192?MTPA capacity (186 domestic and overseas).

Strategic advantages and competitive benefits
The consolidation simplifies decision-making by reducing legal entities, centralising oversight, and removing redundant functions. This drives compliance efficiency and transparent reporting. Using procurement power for raw materials and energy lowers costs per ton. Integrated logistics with Adani Ports and freight infrastructure has resulted in an estimated 6 per cent savings in logistics. The group aims for additional savings of INR 500 to 550 per tonne by FY 2028 by integrating green energy, using alternative fuel resources, and improving sourcing methods.

Market coverage and brand consistency
Brand integration under one strategy will provide uniform product quality and easier distribution networks. Integration with Orient Cement’s dealer base, 60 per cent of which already distributes Ambuja/ACC products, enhances outreach and responsiveness.
By having captive limestone reserves at Lakhpat (approximately 275 million tonnes) and proposed new manufacturing facilities in Raigad, Maharashtra, Adani Cement derives cost advantage, raw material security, and long-term operational robustness.

Strategic implications and risks
Consolidation at Adani Cement makes it not just a capacity leader but also an operationally agile competitor with the ability to reap digital and sustainability benefits. Its vertically integrated platform enables cost leadership, market responsiveness, and scalability.

Challenges potentially include:

  • Integration challenges across systems, corporate cultures, and plant operations
  • Regulatory sanctions for pending mergers and new capacity additions
  • Environmental clearances in environmentally sensitive areas and debt management with input price volatility

When materialised, this revolution would create a formidable Adani–UltraTech duopoly, redefining Indian cement on the basis of scale, innovation, and sustainability. India’s leading four cement players such as Adani (ACC and Ambuja), Dalmia Cement, Shree Cement, and UltraTech are expected to dominate the cement market.

Conclusion
Adani’s aggressive consolidation under the ‘One Business, One Company’ strategy signals a decisive shift in the Indian cement industry, positioning the group as a formidable challenger to UltraTech and setting the stage for a potential duopoly that could dominate the sector for years to come. By unifying operations, leveraging economies of scale, and securing vertical integration—from raw material reserves to distribution networks—Adani Cement is building both capacity and resilience, with clear advantages in cost efficiency, market reach, and sustainability. While integration complexities, regulatory hurdles, and environmental approvals remain key challenges, the scale and strategic alignment of this consolidation promise to redefine competition, pricing dynamics, and operational benchmarks in one of the world’s fastest-growing cement markets.

About the author:
Milind Khangan is the Marketing Head at Vertex Market Research and comes with over five years of experience in market research, lead generation and team management.

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Precision in Motion: A Deep Dive into PowerBuild’s Core Gear Series

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1 month ago

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August 16, 2025

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PowerBuild’s flagship Series M, C, F, and K geared motors deliver robust, efficient, and versatile power transmission solutions for industries worldwide.

Products – M, C, F, K: At the heart of every high-performance industrial system lies the need for robust, reliable, and efficient power transmission. PowerBuild answers this need with its flagship geared motor series: M, C, F, and K. Each series is meticulously engineered to serve specific operational demands while maintaining the universal promise of durability, efficiency, and performance.
Series M – Helical Inline Geared Motors: Compact and powerful, the Series M delivers exceptional drive solutions for a broad range of applications. With power handling up to 160kW and torque capacity reaching 20,000 Nm, it is the trusted solution for industries requiring quiet operation, high efficiency, and space-saving design. Series M is available with multiple mounting and motor options, making it a versatile choice for manufacturers and OEMs globally.
Series C – Right Angled Heli-Worm Geared Motors: Combining the benefits of helical and worm gearing, the Series C is designed for right-angled power transmission. With gear ratios of up to 16,000:1 and torque capacities of up to 10,000 Nm, this series is optimal for applications demanding precision in compact spaces. Industries looking for a smooth, low-noise operation with maximum torque efficiency rely on Series C for dependable performance.
Series F – Parallel Shaft Mounted Geared Motors: Built for endurance in the most demanding environments, Series F is widely adopted in steel plants, hoists, cranes, and heavy-duty conveyors. Offering torque up to 10,000 Nm and high gear ratios up to 20,000:1, this product features an integral torque arm and diverse output configurations to meet industry-specific challenges head-on.
Series K – Right Angle Helical Bevel Geared Motors: For industries seeking high efficiency and torque-heavy performance, Series K is the answer. This right-angled geared motor series delivers torque up to 50,000 Nm, making it a preferred choice in core infrastructure sectors such as cement, power, mining, and material handling. Its flexibility in mounting and broad motor options offer engineers’ freedom in design and reliability in execution.
Together, these four series reflect PowerBuild’s commitment to excellence in mechanical power transmission. From compact inline designs to robust right-angle drives, each geared motor is a result of decades of engineering innovation, customer-focused design, and field-tested reliability. Whether the requirement is speed control, torque multiplication, or space efficiency, Radicon’s Series M, C, F, and K stand as trusted powerhouses for global industries.

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Driving Measurable Gains

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1 month ago

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August 16, 2025

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Klüber Lubrication India’s Klübersynth GEM 4-320 N upgrades synthetic gear oil for energy efficiency.

Klüber Lubrication India has introduced a strategic upgrade for the tyre manufacturing industry by retrofitting its high-performance synthetic gear oil, Klübersynth GEM 4-320 N, into Barrel Cold Feed Extruder gearboxes. This smart substitution, requiring no hardware changes, delivered energy savings of 4-6 per cent, as validated by an internationally recognised energy audit firm under IPMVP – Option B protocols, aligned with
ISO 50015 standards.

Beyond energy efficiency, the retrofit significantly improved operational parameters:

  • Lower thermal stress on equipment
  • Extended lubricant drain intervals
  • Reduction in CO2 emissions and operational costs

These benefits position Klübersynth GEM 4-320 N as a powerful enabler of sustainability goals in line with India’s Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) guidelines and global Net Zero commitments.

Verified sustainability, zero compromise
This retrofit case illustrates that meaningful environmental impact doesn’t always require capital-intensive overhauls. Klübersynth GEM 4-320 N demonstrated high performance in demanding operating environments, offering:

  • Enhanced component protection
  • Extended oil life under high loads
  • Stable performance across fluctuating temperatures

By enabling quick wins in efficiency and sustainability without disrupting operations, Klüber reinforces its role as a trusted partner in India’s evolving industrial landscape.

Klüber wins EcoVadis Gold again
Further affirming its global leadership in responsible business practices, Klüber Lubrication has been awarded the EcoVadis Gold certification for the fourth consecutive year in 2025. This recognition places it in the top three per cent
of over 150,000 companies worldwide evaluated for environmental, ethical and sustainable procurement practices.
Klüber’s ongoing investments in R&D and product innovation reflect its commitment to providing data-backed, application-specific lubrication solutions that exceed industry expectations and support long-term sustainability goals.

A trusted industrial ally
Backed by 90+ years of tribology expertise and a global support network, Klüber Lubrication is helping customers transition toward a greener tomorrow. With Klübersynth GEM 4-320 N, tyre manufacturers can take measurable, low-risk steps to boost energy efficiency and regulatory alignment—proving that even the smallest change can spark a significant transformation.

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