Concrete

Focus on innovating, collaborating with partners

Published

9 months ago

February 12, 2025

admin

Raj Bagri, CEO, Kapture, discusses the role of technology in decarbonising cement production.

Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) can fast track zero emission goals of the cement sector, provided it is made scalable and cost-effective. In this insightful conversation, Raj Bagri, a climate tech entrepreneur, shares how CCUS can transform the cement industry’s decarbonisation efforts. Additionally, she offers advice for innovators tackling emissions in hard-to-abate sectors.

How do you envision CCUS transforming the cement industry’s approach to carbon emissions?
CCUS can fundamentally transform the cement industry’s approach to decarbonising in a cost-effective way. CCUS can play a key role in decarbonising cement plants and generate byproducts that are low carbon alternatives to aggregate filler or Portland cement.

Kapture’s technology integrates CO2 sequestration into concrete. How scalable is this solution?
Kapture’s product could be used as a filler or Portland Cement replacement with no green premium. Kapture will be generating thousands of tonnes by 2030.

What unique challenges have you faced in retrofitting carbon capture technology to existing systems, and how have you overcome them?
Our primary challenge was designing a carbon capture system for diesel generators that operates without generating back pressure on the diesel engine. It took several years of R&D to develop a system that will not impact the performance.

How does Kapture’s innovation eliminate the green premium and make CCUS more accessible to the cement industry?
Kapture’s ability to eliminate the green premium is due to low-cost hardware and a low-cost carbon capture process. The byproduct can go directly into the cement and concrete production process without any post-processing required and with no green premium.

What role do you see for startups like yours in collaborating with major cement manufacturers to achieve meaningful carbon reductions?
Kapture can play a transformative role in helping accelerate the cement industry’s transition to a sustainable, low-carbon future by offering scalable, cost-effective solutions that integrate seamlessly into existing operations that can be scaled within the next few years.

How can the cement industry leverage CCUS to balance environmental impact with economic viability?
The cement industry can leverage CCUS to capture process and fuel emissions and by using byproducts to replace existing carbon intensive products like aggregate filler or Portland Cement.

As a diverse female leader in climate tech, what advice would you offer to other innovators looking to address emissions in hard-to-abate sectors like cement?
My advice to other innovators tackling emissions in hard-to-abate sectors like cement would be to focus on innovating, collaborating with partners and improving resilience. It is important to work with industry partners to understand the processes, challenges and economics. It is important to develop solutions that require no change to existing processes and with little to no green premium, ensuring solutions are scalable and affordable for the end user.

Up Next

A modest budget boost

Don't Miss

Cement manufacturers should adopt a holistic approach

Concrete

Nuvoco Vistas Reports Record Q2 EBITDA, Expands Capacity to 35 MTPA

Cement Major Nuvoco Posts Rs 3.71 bn EBITDA in Q2 FY26

Published

2 weeks ago

October 22, 2025

admin

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd., one of India’s leading building materials companies, has reported its highest-ever second-quarter consolidated EBITDA of Rs 3.71 billion for Q2 FY26, reflecting an 8% year-on-year revenue growth to Rs 24.58 billion. Cement sales volume stood at 4.3 MMT during the quarter, driven by robust demand and a rising share of premium products, which reached an all-time high of 44%.

The company continued its deleveraging journey, reducing like-to-like net debt by Rs 10.09 billion year-on-year to Rs 34.92 billion. Commenting on the performance, Jayakumar Krishnaswamy, Managing Director, said, “Despite macro headwinds, disciplined execution and focus on premiumisation helped us achieve record performance. We remain confident in our structural growth trajectory.”

Nuvoco’s capacity expansion plans remain on track, with refurbishment of the Vadraj Cement facility progressing towards operationalisation by Q3 FY27. In addition, the company’s 4 MTPA phased expansion in eastern India, expected between December 2025 and March 2027, will raise its total cement capacity to 35 MTPA by FY27.

Reinforcing its sustainability credentials, Nuvoco continues to lead the sector with one of the lowest carbon emission intensities at 453.8 kg CO? per tonne of cementitious material.

Concrete

Jindal Stainless to Invest $150 Mn in Odisha Metal Recovery Plant

New Jajpur facility to double metal recovery capacity and cut emissions

Published

2 weeks ago

October 17, 2025

admin

Jindal Stainless Limited has announced an investment of $150 million to build and operate a new wet milling plant in Jajpur, Odisha, aimed at doubling its capacity to recover metal from industrial waste. The project is being developed in partnership with Harsco Environmental under a 15-year agreement.

The facility will enable the recovery of valuable metals from slag and other waste materials, significantly improving resource efficiency and reducing environmental impact. The initiative aligns with Jindal Stainless’s sustainability roadmap, which focuses on circular economy practices and low-carbon operations.

In financial year 2025, the company reduced its carbon footprint by about 14 per cent through key decarbonisation initiatives, including commissioning India’s first green hydrogen plant for stainless steel production and setting up the country’s largest captive solar energy plant within a single industrial campus in Odisha.

Shares of Jindal Stainless rose 1.8 per cent to Rs 789.4 per share following the announcement, extending a 5 per cent gain over the past month.

Concrete

Vedanta gets CCI Approval for Rs 17,000 MnJaiprakash buyout

Acquisition marks Vedanta’s expansion into cement, real estate, and infra

Published

2 weeks ago

October 17, 2025

admin

Vedanta Limited has received approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to acquire Jaiprakash Associates Limited (JAL) for approximately Rs 17,000 million under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) process. The move marks Vedanta’s strategic expansion beyond its core mining and metals portfolio into cement, real estate, and infrastructure sectors.

Once the flagship of the Jaypee Group, JAL has faced severe financial distress with creditors’ claims exceeding Rs 59,000 million. Vedanta emerged as the preferred bidder in a competitive auction, outbidding the Adani Group with an overall offer of Rs 17,000 million, equivalent to Rs 12,505 million in net present value terms. The payment structure involves an upfront settlement of around Rs 3,800 million, followed by annual instalments of Rs 2,500–3,000 million over five years.

The National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL), which acquired the group’s stressed loans from a State Bank of India-led consortium, now leads the creditor committee. Lenders are expected to take a haircut of around 71 per cent based on Vedanta’s offer. Despite approvals for other bidders, Vedanta’s proposal stood out as the most viable resolution plan, paving the way for the company’s diversification into new business verticals.