Cemex to turn CO2 from cement factory into sustainable aviation fuel

Cemex S.A.B. de C.V. is partnering with integrated chemicals and energy company Sasol ecoFT and renewable energy company Enertrag in a project that will combine CO2 with hydrogen to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The consortium will source green hydrogen generated exclusively from wind and solar energy from Enertrag. The CO2 will come from Cemex’s Rüdersdorf cement plant in Germany, which will provide 100 tons of CO2 per day in the project’s initial stages. Sasol ecoFT will then contribute its innovative technology to produce e-kerosene, which, once certified, can be blended to constitute up to 50 percent of jet fuel.

“We are excited to be part of this groundbreaking project that will contribute to the decarbonization of two of the world’s key industries,” said Fernando A. Gonzalez, CEO of Cemex. “The path to carbon neutrality will be built with innovation, and we remain committed to being at the forefront in developing new circular technologies and processes.”

This project is part of Cemex’s Future in Action program to reduce its carbon footprint and contribute to a circular economy. It is also an integral part of its overall plan to develop a carbon-neutral operation at its Rüdersdorf cement plant by 2030.

According to Cemex, 60 percent of the carbon emissions in the cement-production process comes from the chemical reaction that occurs in cement kilns. To reach carbon neutrality, these emissions must be captured, stored or repurposed. Cemex is working on technologies to do this through partnerships with other industries, work at its R&D center, and investments from its venture capital arm, Cemex Ventures.

The Rüdersdorf carbon-neutral alliance includes more than 20 startups, universities, companies from other industries, and authorities working to develop industrial-scale solutions using leading-edge technologies to achieve the first carbon-neutral cement plant in the world.