Concrete

Cementing Net Zero

Published

9 months ago

January 15, 2025

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The 18th NCB International Conference and Exhibition on Cement, Concrete and Building Materials was a melting pot of innovative ideas, designed to help the Indian cement sector achieve its Net Zero goals. The event witnessed participation from the varied stakeholders of the cement industry, from manufacturers and raw material providers to logistics partners and researchers. ICR presents a comprehensive event report.

The Yashobhoomi Convention Centre at IICC Dwarka, New Delhi, was the epicentre of innovation, cutting-edge technology and forward-looking ideas, as the 18th NCB International Conference & Exhibition on Cement, Concrete, and Building Materials, brought together though leaders, innovators, inventors and researchers under one roof, with the common intention of making cement carbon neutral. The Conference and Exhibition was organised by National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB), an apex R&D organisation under the administrative control of DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.
As the Indian cement sector is speeding towards its Net Zero goals, industry stalwarts are working relentlessly on making its path smoother and more efficient. The event, regarded as the Maha Kumbh of Cement and Concrete Industry, was successfully organised from 27 – 29 November 2024 and offered knowledge-exchange and business opportunities to the participants and visitors alike with its conference, exhibition and awards function.
The conference was inaugurated by Shri Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India in presence of Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT; Neeraj Akhoury, Chairman-NCB, President-Cement Manufacturers’ Association and MD-Shree Cement; and Mahendra Singhi, Member of Board of Directors and Strategic Advisor, Dalmia Cement (Bharat). The concurrently held Technical Exhibition with the conference was also inaugurated.
In his inaugural address, Shri Amardeep Singh Bhatia Secretary-DPIIT complimented the Indian cement industry for being one of the best in the world in terms of energy efficiency and role played by cement industry in circular economy framework in our country.
Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT was the guest of honour on the occasion, requested cement industry to support startups working in the field of cement, concrete and building materials sector.
Akhoury and Singhi also addressed the gathering on achievements of Indian cement industry and challenges faced to achieve the target of Net Zero by 2070. Speaking on the occasion, Dr L P Singh, DG-NCB, highlighted the role of research and development in tackling the issues of Indian cement industry such as decarbonisation, circular economy and sustainability.
The conference saw participation of 1100+ delegates, 600+ visitors, 140+ students, 16 session keynote addresses, 155 oral presentations and 70 poster presentations of technical papers, 133 exhibitors including 09 startups and 204 exhibition stalls.

Industry sessions
There were plenary sessions on each day of the conference covering the following five presentations from industry stalwarts:

‘Carbon Conscious Concrete and Nanotechnology’ by Prof S P Shah, Presidential Distinguished Professor, University of Texas at Arlington, USA, Walter P Murphy, Professor (Emeritus) Northwestern University, USA
‘‘Automated’ to ‘Autonomous’ Process for Cement Production: How Distant is the Destination?’ by Dr A K Chatterjee, Fellow, Indian National Academy of Engineering and Chairman-Conmat Technologies
‘The role of cement hydration in decarbonising cement-based materials’ Professor Karen Scrivener, Professor and Head, Laboratory of Construction Materials, Department of Materials, Swiss Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland
‘Binding the Future – From Calcined Clays to Extrusion’ by Professor Dr-Ing. Thomas Matschei, Chair of Building Materials, Institute of Building Materials Research, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
‘Innovation at Holcim, an industrial point of view about progressively tackling the challenges for cementitious materials players: reaching Zero CO emissions and Zero natural resources’ by Christophe Levy, Scientific Director, Holcim Innovation Centre, Lyon, France

The two panel discussions on contemporary topics like ‘Cementing the Net Zero by 2070: Leadership Perspectives from Indian Cement Industry’ and ‘Transforming Indian Standards to Performance Based Design of Concrete’ involving leaders of Indian Cement Industry and Industry, Research and Academic Experts were the highlight of the conference.

During the conference, NCB Lifetime Achievement Award in the field of Cement and Concrete Sector was conferred on Padma Shri Dr H C Visvesvaraya, Ex-CDG, NCB.

During the Conference, the following five NCB publications were released: Insert image 3

Conference Souvenir
Conference Proceedings
4th edition of Compendium
Alternative Fuels and Raw Materials for Indian Cement Industry
7th edition of NCB Guide norms for cement plant operation
During the conference, the following three Short Films made by the National Council for Cement and Building Materials were also released:
• 200 Glorious Years of Cement and Concrete Construction Industry
• NCB Corporate Video
• NCB International Conferences – A Maha Kumbh of Cement and Concrete Industry

Collaborations for Growth
On the second day of the conference, two MOUs were signed for Research in the areas of De-Carbonisation and Application of Plasma Technologies in Cement Production. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between NCB and with GCCA, India for the promotion of Research in the area of de-carbonization of the Indian Cement Industry. The MoU was signed by Dr L P Singh (Director General-NCB) and Manoj Rustagi, Director-GCCA, India. This MoU will boost the ongoing efforts in making Indian Cement Industry ‘Net Zero’ by 2070.
Also, another MoU was signed between NCB and AIC-Plasmatech Innovation Foundation in the application of Thermal Plasma Torch Technology in Cement production. The MoU was signed by Dr Singh and Dr Nirav Jamnapara, Director-AIC Plasmatech. This MoU will explore the potential applications of Thermal Plasma Technologies in Cement Manufacturing Process.
The 18th NCB International Conference & Exhibition on Cement, Concrete, and Building Materials, concluded successfully on 29th November 2024. The valedictory session was chaired by Arti Bhatnagar, Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. She complimented Indian cement industry for being water positive and plastic negative. She also presented the National Awards to the best participating cement plants in the field of energy excellence, improvement in energy performance, environment excellence, total quality excellence and achieving circular economy in integrated cement plants and energy and environment excellence in cement grinding units. These awards emanated from suggestion at the first NCB International Seminar in 1987, and at the insistence of Ministry of Industry, the scheme of National Award for Energy Efficiency was started from the year 1986-87.
Bhatnagar released the Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya (BND), an Indian Certified Reference Material of Gypsum Standard produced by NCB in collaboration with NPL, NMI of India. The BND plays a pivotal role in fulfilling the ambitions of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ and will substitute the import of international CRM and help in saving foreign Exchange. Bhatnagar also visited the technical exhibition concurrently held with the conference and interacted with startups exhibiting in the conference.

Special Merit Certificates
Mahendra Singhi, Member of Board of Governors and Strategic Advisor, Dalmia Cement (Bharat), Guest of Honour on the occasion presented certificates to the papers of Special Merit presented during the conference. DG-NCB also informed that NCB will be quantifying the carbon footprint of the conference with the help of NCB incubated startup ‘Zero Cabon’ and will be offsetting the CO2 emissions.

Conclusion
The 18th NCB International Conference and Exhibition on Cement, Concrete, and Building Materials demonstrated the cement industry’s unwavering commitment to innovation, sustainability, and collaboration in achieving India’s Net Zero goals. Held at the state-of-the-art Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, the event brought together industry leaders, researchers, innovators, and policymakers to exchange knowledge and forge partnerships critical to the sector’s transformation. The conference not only celebrated the industry’s achievements but also set the stage for continued progress through technology, research, and policy alignment. By offsetting the carbon footprint of the event, the organisers underscored their commitment to environmental responsibility.
As the Indian cement industry continues its journey toward Net Zero by 2070, NCB’s International Conference and Exhibition will remain pivotal in driving collective action, inspiring innovation, and uniting stakeholders in the shared mission of sustainable growth and environmental stewardship.

Sr. No. List of Papers of Special Merit selected from
Poster Presentation
1. Sustainable Modernisation Solutions for Cement Plant Productivity Enhancement: Case Studies, Vikram Kancharidasu and Sitaram Sharma. Humboldt Wedag, India [P-219]
2. Adoptation of Technology to Enhance Refractory Life & Cost Optimisation, Vivekkumar V K, Shyamal Roy, Sanjeev Srivastava and Raju Goyal. UltraTech Cement [P-211]
3. Innovative Boiler Feed Water Treatment for Energy Conservation and Boiler Reliability inTPP/WHRS, Pawan Mathur, Sunil Shah and Raju Goyal. UltraTech Cement
4. Influence of Cement Grinding Temperature on Material Characteristics and Performance of Cement, A Kumar, D Sen, A K Rai and N Akhoury. Shree Cement [P-190]
5. Total Productivity Enhancement and Process Optimisation, Tanmoy Ghosal, Aditya cement works (UltraTech Cement) [P-271]
6. Exploring the Potential of Stubble Waste Biochar as Cementitious Composite for Sustainable Construction and Carbon Sequestration, Sarmad Rashid, Arpit Goyal, A B Danie Roy and Manpreet Singh. Thapar Institute of Engg. and Technology
7. Studies on Utilization of Industrial Waste for Carbon Capture, Varsha Liju, Diksha Rana, Gaurav Bhatnagar and S K Chaturvedi, National Council for Cement and Building Materials
8. Carbon Capture by Electrification of Calciner in the Cement Industry, Prateek Sharma, Ashish Gautam, Vinaykant and K P K Reddy. National Council for Cement and Building Materials [IP-26]
9. Durability Concerns in Alkali Activated Low Calcium Fly Ash: Influence of Sodium Content on Chloride Ion Penetration, Mude Hanumananaik and K V L Subramaniam. IIT-Hyderabad [P-202]
10. Influence of Green Reagent on Enhancing Recycled Aggregate Mortar Properties, Santha Kumar G, S K Singh, P K Saini. CSIR-Central Building Research Institute [P-114]

List of Recipients of National Awards for Indian Cement Industry

S. NO. Awards Plant Name
I. Awards for Energy Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants
1. Best Award for Energy Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants Sree Jayajothi Cements (100 per cent Subsidiary of My Home Group Industries), Nandyal, AP
2. Second Best Award for Energy Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants RCCPL, Maihar, Satna, MP
II. Awards for Improvement in Energy Performance in Integrated Cement Plants
1. Best Award for Improvement in Energy Performance in Integrated Cement Plants Dalmia Cement (Bharat), Belgaum Cement Plant, Karnataka
2. Second Best Award for Improvement in Energy Performance in Integrated Cement Plants UltraTech Cement, Nathdwara Cement Works, Sirohi, Rajasthan
III. Awards for Environment Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants
1. Best Award for Environment Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants UltraTech Cement, Andhra Pradesh Cement Works
2. Second Best Award for Environment Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants Dalmia Cement (Bharat), Belgaum Cement Plant
IV. Awards for Total Quality Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants
1. Best Award for Total Quality Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants M/s Shree Cement, Ras, Bangur City, Rajasthan
2. Second Best Award for Total Quality Excellence in Integrated Cement Plants M/s UltraTech Cement, Aditya Cement Works
V. Awards for Achieving Circular Economy in Integrated Cement Plants
1. Best Award for Achieving Circular Economy in Integrated Cement Plants UltraTech Cement, Reddipalayam Cement Works
2. Second Best Award for Achieving Circular Economy in Integrated Cement Plants UltraTech Cement, Rawan Cement Works
VI. Awards for Energy Excellence in Cement Grinding Units
1. Best Award for Energy Excellence in Cement Grinding Units UltraTech Cement, Arakkonam Cement Works
2. Second Best Award for Energy Excellence in Cement Grinding Units J K Cement Works, Jharli
VII. Awards for Environment Excellence in Cement Grinding Units
1. Best Award for Environment Excellence in Cement Grinding Units UltraTech Cement, Ginigera Cement Works
2. Second Best Award for Environment Excellence in Cement Grinding Units ACC, Madukkarai Cement Works

List of Orally Presented Papers selected as Papers of Special Merit in the Conference

Technical Session IA
Belite Calcium Sulfoaluminate Ferrite Cement: Synthesis, Performance Evaluation and Hydration Studies, K Suresh, Manish Kuchya, Mohan Medhe, Bhavik Patel and Raju Goyal. UltraTech Cement [P-225]
Technical Session IB
Maximizing Solid Alternative Fuel Quality by the A TEC Rocket Mill and A TEC Flash Dryer, S Kern. A TEC Production & Services GmbH, Austria [P-236]
Technical Session – I C
Effect of Period of Exposure to Fire on Mechanical Properties of TMT Bars, Brijesh Singh, Amit Trivedi, Amit Sagar, P N Ojha, Rohit Kumar and Amit Prakash. National Council for Cement and Building Materials [IP-1]
Technical Session IIA
Overcoming Barriers to Alternative Fuels in the Indian Cement Industry Technology and Solutions for Enhanced Thermal Substitution Rates, Kiranmai Sanagavarapu FLSmidth Cement A/S, Green Innovation [P-164]
Technical Session – II B
Energy-Efficient MVR Vertical Roller Mill Systems, Caroline Woywadt and Kunal Jain. Gebr. Pfeiffer SE, Germany & Gebr. Pfeiffer, Noida, India [P-107]
Technical Session – II C
Development of Activated Biochar and its Application in Concrete, Sahana C M and Souradeep Gupta. IISc Bangalore [P-251]
Technical Session IIIA
Mineral Carbonation of Artificial Lightweight Aggregates Developed from Municipal Solid Waste Incinerated Ashes Through Autoclaving Process, Humaira Athar, Deepika Saini, Kishor S Kulkarni, L P Singh, Usha Sharma, Srinivasarao Naik B and Madhusudhan Bolla. CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, National Council for Cement and Building Material and IIT-Roorkee [P-144]
Technical Session – III B
Raw Meal Beneficiation Silica Removal from Cement Raw Meal Resulting in LSF Increase, Farah Diab. Fives FCB, France [P-198]
Technical Session – III C
Comparison of Modulus of Elasticity for Structural Light Weight Concrete using Compressometer, Linear Variable Displacement Transducer and Extensometer, Brijesh Singh, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, S K Barai, P N Ojha, Rohit Kumar and Puneet Kaura. National Council for Cement and Building Materials and Birla Institute of Technology Pilani [IP-2]
Technical Session – IV A
Reactive Potential Assessment for Efficient Utilization of Fly Ash in Alkali-Activated and Cementitious Binders, G V P Bhagath Singh and Kolluru V L Subramaniam. SRM University-AP and IIT-Hyderabad [P-176]
Technical Session – IV B
Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Machine Learning in Sustainable Cement Manufacturing, Amit Kumar Kanojia. Ambuja Cement India [P-110]
Technical Session – IV C
Roller Press Technology a boon for Existing Plants to Transform into Efficient and Greener Venkatesh Vanam, Prakash Patil and Ashok Kumar Dembla. Humboldt Wedag India, India [P-314]
Technical Session – V A
Energy Conservation and Condition Monitoring Through Innovative Ultrasound Technology, Pawan Mathur, Sunil Shah and Raju Goyal. UltraTech Cement [P-188]
Technical Session – V B
Engineered Special Pre-Cast Refractory
Solutions from Wahl-Fosbel for Critical Cement Plant Applications, Gilles Mercier and Dipankar Banerjee. Fosbel India / Wahl Refractory
Solutions [P-153]
Technical Session – V C
Influence of Mix Proportions on the Engineering Properties of One-Part Alkali-Activated Composite, S K Singh, Yasmeen Qureshi and Biswajit Pal. CSIR-Central Building Research Institute [P-148]
Technical Session – VI A
Why is Calcium Carbonate Required for LC3?, Anuj Parashar and Vineet Shah. Wiss, Janney Elstner Associates, Inc., USA & Callaghan Innovation, New Zealand [P-289]
Technical Session – VI B
7-Stage Preheater Working in Cement Industry: New Innovation, Sarada Yasarapu, Amar Kant Pandey, Dinesh Kumar and Manish Kumar Singh. Prism Johnson [P-221]
Technical Session – VI C
Delivering SCMs with Large-Scale Potential in the Context of the Indian Market, Lars Kuur. FLSmidth Cement, Denmark [P-182]
Technical Session – VII A
Successful Conversion of Electrostatic Precipitator into Bag Filters, Mansi Garg. Intensiv-Filter Himenviro Technology GmbH, Velbert, Germany [P-270]
Technical Session – VII B
Property Assessment During the Early Age Hydration of Alkali Activated Binders Using Embedded PZT Sensors, Murali Duddi1, Amarteja Kocherla and Kolluru V L Subramaniam. New York University Abu Dhabi, UAE and IIT Hyderabad [P-313]
Technical Session – VII C
Evaluation of Biochar as a Potential Additive in Concrete to Lower its Carbon Footprint, K S T Chopperla, R Akhil, K Bharadwaj, A Kumar, A K Jha and R Susmita. IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Delhi, IISc Bangalore, NIT Trichy and NIT Jamshedpur [P-296]

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The primary high-power applications are fans and mills

Published

2 days ago

October 10, 2025

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Alex Nazareth, Whole-time Director and CEO, Innomotics India, explains how plants can achieve both cost competitiveness and sustainability by lowering emissions, reducing downtime and planning for significant power savings.

As one of the most energy-intensive industries, cement manufacturing faces growing pressure to optimise power consumption, reduce emissions and improve operational reliability. Technology providers like Innomotics India are enabling this transformation by combining advanced motors, AI-driven digital solutions and intelligent monitoring systems that enhance process stability and reduce energy costs. From severe duty motors built for extreme kiln environments to DigiMine AI solutions that optimise pyro and mill operations, Alex Nazareth, Whole-time Director and CEO, Innomotics India, explains how the company is helping cement plants achieve measurable energy savings while moving closer to their sustainability goals.

How does your Energy Performance Contracting model typically reduce power consumption in cement plants—e.g., MWh saved?
Our artificial intelligence-based DigiMine AI Pyro and Mill solutions developed specifically for the cement industry, supports our customers in improving their process stability, productivity and process efficiency. In Pyro, this is achieved by optimising fuel consumption (Coal / AFR), reducing Specific Heat Consumption and reduction in emissions (CO2, SOx and NOx) through continuous monitoring of thermodynamics in pyro and recommending set-points of crucial parameters in advance for maintaining stable operations.
Within the mill, this is achieved by improving throughput, reduce energy / power consumption and maintaining stable operations on a continuous basis. Our ROI-based value proposition captures the project KPIs like reduction of coal usage, increase of AFR, reduction of specific heat consumption (Kcal / Kg), reduction of specific power consumption (KWH / tonne), reduction of emissions, etc., by a specific percentage. This gives clarity to our customers to understand the investment vis-à-vis savings and estimate the recovery time of their investment, which typically is achieved within one year of DigiMine AI Pyro and Mill solutions implementation.

What role do digitalisation and motor monitoring play in overall plant energy optimisation?
Motors are being used extensively in cement production, and their monitoring play crucial role in ensuring continuous operation of applications. The monitoring system can automatically generate alerts for any anomaly / abnormalities in motor parameters, which allows plant team to take corrective actions and avoid any major equipment damage and breakdown. The alerts help maintenance team to plan maintenance schedule and related activity efficiently. Centralised and organised data gives overview to the engineers for day-to-day activities. Cement is amongst the top energy intensive industries in comparison to other industries. Hence, it becomes critically important to optimise efficiency, productivity and up-time of plant equipment. Motor monitoring and digitalisation plays a vital role in it. Monitoring and control of multiple applications and areas
within the plant or multiple plants becomes possible with digitalisation.
Digitalisation adds a layer on top of OT systems, bringing machine and process data onto a single interface. This solves the challenges such as system silo, different communications protocol, databases and most importantly, creates a common definition and measurement to plant KPIs. Relevant stakeholders, such as engineers, head of departments and plant heads, can see accurate information, analyse it and make better decisions with appropriate timing. In doing so, plant teams can take proactive actions before machine breakdown, enable better coordination during maintenance activities while improving operational efficiency and productivity.
Further using latest technologies like Artificial Intelligence can even assist operators in running their plant with minimal requirement of human intervention, which allows operators to utilise their time in focusing on more critical topics like analysing data to identify further improvements in operation.

Which of your high-efficiency IEC low-voltage motors deliver the best energy savings for cement mills or fans?
Innomotics India offers a range of IEC-compliant low-voltage motors engineered to deliver superior performance and energy savings, particularly for applications such as cement mills, large fans, and blowers. Innomotics has the complete range of IE4 motors from 0.37kW to 1000kW to meet the demands of cement industry. The IE5 range is also available for specific requirements.

Can safe area motors operate safely and efficiently in cement kiln environments?
Yes, safe area motors are designed to operate reliably in these environments without the risk of overheating. These motors have ingress protection that prevents dust, moisture ingress and can withstand mechanical stress. These motors are available in IE3 / IE4 efficiency classes thereby ensuring lower energy consumption during continuous operation. These motors comply with relevant Indian as well as international standards.

How do your SD Severe Duty motors contribute to lower emissions and lower cost in heavy duty cement applications?
Severe duty motors enhances energy efficiency and durability in demanding cement applications, directly contributing to lower emissions and operational costs. With high-efficiency ratings (such as IE3 or better), they reduce power consumption, minimising CO2 output from energy use. Their robust design handles extreme heat, dust and vibration—common in cement environments—ensuring reliable performance and fewer energy losses.
These motors also lower the total cost of ownership by reducing downtime, maintenance and replacement frequency. Their extended service life and minimal performance degradation help cement plants meet sustainability targets, comply with emissions regulations and improve overall energy management—all while keeping production consistent and cost-effective.

What pump, fan or compressor drive upgrades have shown approximately 60 per cent energy savings in industrial settings and can be replicated in cement plants?
In the cement industry, the primary high-power applications are fans and mills. Among these, fans have the greatest potential for energy savings. Examples, the pre-heater fan, bag house fan, and cooler fans. When there are variations in airflow or the need to maintain a constant pressure in a process, using a variable speed drive (VSD) system is a more effective option for starting and controlling these fans. This adaptive approach can lead to significant energy savings. For instance, vanes and dampers can remain open while the variable frequency drive and motor system manage airflow regulation efficiently.

Concrete

We conduct regular internal energy audits

Published

2 days ago

October 10, 2025

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Shaping the future of low-carbon cement production involves integrating renewables, digitalisation and innovative technologies. Uma Suryam, SVP and Head Manufacturing – Northern Region, Nuvoco Vistas, gives us a detailed account of how.

In an industry where energy consumption can account for a significant portion of operating costs, cement manufacturers are under increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices without compromising efficiency. Nuvoco Vistas has taken a decisive step in this direction, leveraging digitalisation, renewable energy and innovative technologies to drive energy efficiency across its operations. In this exclusive conversation, Uma Suryam, SVP and Head Manufacturing – Northern Region, Nuvoco Vistas, shares its approach to energy management, challenges of modernising brownfield plants and its long-term roadmap to align efficiency with India’s net-zero vision.

How has your company improved energy efficiency over the past five years?
Over the past five years, we have prioritised energy conservation by enhancing operational efficiency and scaling up renewable energy adoption. Through strategic fuel mix optimisation, deployment of cleaner technologies, and greater integration of renewables, we have steadily reduced our environmental footprint while meeting energy needs sustainably.
Technological upgrades across our plants have further strengthened efficiency. These include advanced process control systems, enhanced trend analysis, grinding media optimisation and the integration of solar-powered utilities. Importantly, grid integration at our key plants has delivered significant cost savings and streamlined energy management.
A notable milestone has been the expansion of our solar power capacity and Waste Heat Recovery Systems (WHRS). Our solar power capacity has grown from 1.5 MW in FY 2021–22 to 5.5 MW, while our WHRS capacity has increased from 44.7 MW to 49 MW, underscoring our commitment to sustainable energy solutions.

What technologies or practices have shown the highest energy-saving potential in cement production?
One of our most significant achievements in advancing energy efficiency has been the successful commissioning of a 132 KV Grid Integration Project, which unified three of our major manufacturing units under a single power network. This milestone, enabled by a dedicated transmission line and a state-of-the-art Line-In Line-Out (LILO) substation, has transformed our energy management and operational capabilities.
With this integration, we have substantially reduced our contract demand, eliminated power disruptions, and enhanced operational continuity. Supported by an optical fibre network for real-time communication and automation, this project stands as a testament to our innovation-led manufacturing excellence and underscores Nuvoco’s vision of building a safer, smarter, and sustainable world.

What role does digitalisation play in achieving energy efficiency in your operations?
Digitalisation plays a transformative role in driving energy efficiency across our operations. At Nuvoco, we are leveraging cutting-edge technologies and advanced digital tools to enhance productivity, optimise energy consumption and strengthen our commitment to sustainability and employee safety.
We are developing AI-enabled dashboards to optimise WHRS and kiln operations, ensuring maximum efficiency. Additionally, our advanced AI models evaluate multiple operational parameters — including fuel pricing, moisture content and energy output — to identify the most cost-effective fuel combinations in real time. These initiatives are enabling data-driven decision-making, improving operational excellence and reducing our environmental footprint.

What is your long-term strategy for aligning energy efficiency with decarbonisation goals?
As part of India’s climate action agenda, the cement sector has laid out a clear decarbonisation roadmap to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2070. At Nuvoco, we view this as both a responsibility and an opportunity to redefine the future of sustainable construction. Our long-term strategy focuses on aligning energy efficiency with decarbonisation goals by embracing innovative technologies, alternative raw materials and renewable energy solutions.
We are making strategic investments to scale up solar power installations and enhance our renewable energy mix significantly by 2028. These initiatives are a key part of our broader vision to reduce Scope 2 emissions and strengthen our contribution to India’s net-zero journey, while continuing to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions to our customers.

How do you measure and benchmark energy performance across different plants?
We adopt a comprehensive approach to measure and benchmark energy performance across our plants. Key metrics include Specific Heat Consumption (kCal/kg of clinker) and Specific Power Consumption (kWh/tonne of cement), which are continuously tracked against Best Available Technology (BAT) benchmarks, industry peers and global standards such as the WBCSD-CSI and CII benchmarks.
To ensure consistency and drive improvements, we conduct regular internal energy audits, leverage real-time dashboards and implement robust KPI tracking systems. These tools enable us to compare performance across plants effectively, identify optimisation opportunities and set actionable targets for energy efficiency and sustainability.

What are the key challenges in adopting energy-efficient equipment in brownfield cement plants?
Adopting energy-efficient technologies in brownfield cement plants presents a unique set of challenges due to the constraints of working within existing infrastructure. Firstly, the high capital expenditure and relatively long payback periods often require careful evaluation before investments are made. Additionally, integrating new technologies with legacy equipment can be complex, requiring significant customisation to ensure seamless compatibility and performance.
Another major challenge is minimising production disruptions during installation. Since brownfield plants are already operational, upgrades must be planned meticulously to avoid affecting output. In many cases, space constraints in older facilities add to the difficulty of accommodating advanced equipment without compromising existing layouts.
At Nuvoco, we address these challenges through a phased implementation approach, detailed project planning and by fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration across our plants. This helps us balance operational continuity with our commitment to driving energy efficiency and sustainability.

Concrete

Enlight Metals Supplies 3,200 Tonne of Steel for Navi Mumbai Airport

The airport is set to become Asia’s largest air connectivity hub.

Published

2 days ago

October 10, 2025

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Enlight Metals has supplied 3,200 metric tonne of steel for the newly inaugurated Navi Mumbai International Airport, marking a major contribution to one of India’s largest infrastructure projects and reinforcing the company’s commitment to supporting national development.

The Navi Mumbai International Airport, developed under a Public-Private Partnership led by the Adani Group, was inaugurated today by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The airport is set to become Asia’s largest air connectivity hub, enhancing regional connectivity, boosting economic growth, and expanding trade opportunities. Prime Minister Modi described the project as a “glimpse of Viksit Bharat,” highlighting its transformative impact on infrastructure and development in the region.

“The supply of 3,200 metric tonne of steel for this key project aligns with our focus on supporting critical infrastructure development through reliable and timely metal sourcing. Enlight Metals is committed to enhancing transparency and efficiency in the steel supply chain, contributing to projects integral to India’s growth objectives,” said Vedant Goel, Director, Enlight Metals.

Enlight Metals has implemented technology-driven solutions to strengthen supply chain efficiency, ensuring consistent availability of construction materials for large-scale projects nationwide. Its contribution to the Navi Mumbai International Airport underscores the company’s growing role in supporting India’s infrastructure development initiatives.

This milestone reflects Enlight Metals’ ongoing engagement in delivering quality materials and timely services for major national projects, further cementing its position as a reliable partner in India’s infrastructure sector