Concrete

We are using AI to developour process control

Published

2 years ago

February 14, 2024

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Dr Paula Carey, Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer, Carbon8 explains the impact of carbon capture technology at Carbon8 on the productivity, efficiency and circular economy of cement plants.

Tell us about your carbon capture technology.
Carbon8’s carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) technology is known as Accelerated Carbonation (ACT). In the process, carbon dioxide derived directly from flue gas generated by a cement plant is reacted with calcium minerals within the cement by-pass or kiln dust produced by the same plant without the need for purification.

The reaction occurs at atmospheric temperatures and pressures over 20-30 minutes and can be engineered so that a carbon negative lightweight aggregate is produced, through granulation of the fine grained dusts.

The technology is delivered in a containerised plant (known as the CO2ntainer) with a small footprint that is plugged directly into the flue stack of the cement plant without affecting the cement manufacturing process.

What role can your technology play when implemented in a carbon intensive industry like the cement industry?
The amount of carbon dioxide that is captured is limited by the amount of residue available, but the economics of our system means that a profit can be made for every tonne of CO2 captured without the need for subsidies, or large energy penalties or the use of expensive toxic chemicals such as amines. The process results in the sustainable management of an industrial residue that might otherwise be destined for landfill and produces a low carbon product for the construction industry reducing the need for the extraction of natural aggregate.

What is the impact of your technology on the productivity and cost of cement manufacturing?
The installation of our technology has no effect on the productivity of the cement plant, it has a low energy requirement and its installation adds to the bottom line of the cement production.

How does your technology impact the energy efficiency of a cement plant?
Because our technology operates at atmospheric temperatures and pressures, it has a low energy demand and does not have an impact on the efficiency of the cement plant.

How does your tech support the circular economy?
Carbon8’s technology produces a carbon negative, lightweight aggregate from an industrial residue, breaking the route to landfill disposal and producing a sustainable product for the construction industry that replaces the need for the extraction of natural virgin aggregate. On our website – www.carbon8.co.uk – we describe ourselves as a “circular impact company

What are the major challenges in implementation and execution of your technology?
Because the amount of CO2 captured is relatively small compared with large-scale, expensive carbon capture projects, it has been more challenging to demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of deploying and operating our technology within the global cement industry. A Vicat cement plant in France has been using our CO2tainer since 2020, after successful trials with CRH in Canada and Hanson (now part of Heidelberg Cement Group) in the UK.

The variability of the waste streams that are available to Carbon8 also raises a challenge; every cement works is slightly different and demands a unique solution in terms of mix design for our process.

What innovations can the world expect from Carbon8 in the near future?
We are using AI to develop our process control to overcome the variability of the residues that are generated by the different hard-to-abate industries, and so facilitate the deployment of ACT solutions into other sectors, like Energy From Waste, biomass and steel.

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Concrete

Adani Cement to Deploy World’s First Commercial RDH System

Adani Cement and Coolbrook partner to pilot RDH tech for low-carbon cement.

Published

23 hours ago

November 14, 2025

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Adani Cement and Coolbrook have announced a landmark agreement to install the world’s first commercial RotoDynamic Heater (RDH) system at Adani’s Boyareddypalli Integrated Cement Plant in Andhra Pradesh. The initiative aims to sharply reduce carbon emissions associated with cement production.

This marks the first industrial-scale deployment of Coolbrook’s RDH technology, which will decarbonise the calcination phase — the most fossil fuel-intensive stage of cement manufacturing. The RDH system will generate clean, electrified heat to dry and improve the efficiency of alternative fuels, reducing dependence on conventional fossil sources.

According to Adani, the installation is expected to eliminate around 60,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually, with the potential to scale up tenfold as the technology is expanded. The system will be powered entirely by renewable energy sourced from Adani Cement’s own portfolio, demonstrating the feasibility of producing industrial heat without emissions and strengthening India’s position as a hub for clean cement technologies.

The partnership also includes a roadmap to deploy RotoDynamic Technology across additional Adani Cement sites, with at least five more projects planned over the next two years. The first-generation RDH will provide hot gases at approximately 1000°C, enabling more efficient use of alternative fuels.

Adani Cement’s wider sustainability strategy targets raising the share of alternative fuels and resources to 30 per cent and increasing green power use to 60 per cent by FY28. The RDH deployment supports the company’s Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)-validated commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Concrete

Birla Corporation Q2 EBITDA Surges 71%, Net Profit at Rs 90 Crore

Stronger margins and premium cement sales boost quarterly performance.

Published

3 days ago

November 12, 2025

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Birla Corporation Limited reported a consolidated EBITDA of Rs 3320 million for the September quarter of FY26, a 71 per cent increase over the same period last year, driven by improved profitability in both its Cement and Jute divisions. The company posted a consolidated net profit of Rs 900 million, reversing a loss of Rs 250 million in the corresponding quarter last year.

Consolidated revenue stood at Rs 22330 million, marking a 13 per cent year-on-year growth as cement sales volumes rose 7 per cent to 4.2 million tonnes. Despite subdued cement demand, weak pricing, and rainfall disruptions, Birla Jute Mills staged a turnaround during the quarter.

Premium cement continued to drive performance, accounting for 60 per cent of total trade sales. The flagship brand Perfect Plus recorded 20 per cent growth, while Unique Plus rose 28 per cent year-on-year. Sales through the trade channel reached 79 per cent, up from 71 per cent a year earlier, while blended cement sales grew 14 per cent, forming 89 per cent of total cement sales. Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan remained key growth markets with 7–11 per cent volume gains.

EBITDA per tonne improved 54 per cent to Rs 712, with operating margins expanding to 14.7 per cent from 9.8 per cent last year, supported by efficiency gains and cost reduction measures.

Sandip Ghose, Managing Director and CEO, said, “The Company was able to overcome headwinds from multiple directions to deliver a resilient performance, which boosts confidence in the robustness of our strategies.”

The company expects cement demand to strengthen in the December quarter, supported by government infrastructure spending and rural housing demand. Growth is anticipated mainly from northern and western India, while southern and eastern regions are expected to face continued supply pressures.

Concrete

Ambuja Cements Delivers Strong Q2 FY26 Performance Driven by R&D and Efficiency

Company raises FY28 capacity target to 155 MTPA with focus on cost optimisation and AI integration

Published

5 days ago

November 10, 2025

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Ambuja Cements, part of the diversified Adani Portfolio and the world’s ninth-largest building materials solutions company, has reported a robust performance for Q2 FY26. The company’s strong results were driven by market share gains, R&D-led premium cement products, and continued efficiency improvements.

Vinod Bahety, Whole-Time Director and CEO, Ambuja Cements, said, “This quarter has been noteworthy for the cement industry. Despite headwinds from prolonged monsoons, the sector stands to benefit from several favourable developments, including GST 2.0 reforms, the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), and the withdrawal of coal cess. Our capacity expansion is well timed to capitalise on this positive momentum.”

Ambuja has increased its FY28 capacity target by 15 MTPA — from 140 MTPA to 155 MTPA — through debottlenecking initiatives that will come at a lower capital expenditure of USD 48 per metric tonne. The company also plans to enhance utilisation of its existing 107 MTPA capacity by 3 per cent through logistics infrastructure improvements.

To strengthen its product mix, Ambuja will install 13 blenders across its plants over the next 12 months to optimise production and increase the share of premium cement, improving realisations. These operational enhancements have already contributed to a 5 per cent reduction in cost of sales year-on-year, resulting in an EBITDA of Rs 1,060 per metric tonne and a PMT EBITDA of approximately Rs 1,189.

Looking ahead, the company remains optimistic about achieving double-digit revenue growth and maintaining four-digit PMT EBITDA through FY26. Ambuja aims to reduce total cost to Rs 4,000 per metric tonne by the end of FY26 and further by 5 per cent annually to reach Rs 3,650 per metric tonne by FY28.

Bahety added, “Our Cement Intelligent Network Operations Centre (CiNOC) will bring a paradigm shift to our business operations. Artificial Intelligence will run deep within our enterprise, driving efficiency, productivity, and enhanced stakeholder engagement across the value chain.”