Adani's Ambuja Cements joins UK-based Leilac to develop commercial-scale low carbon cement
Ahmedabad, June 22
Ambuja Cements on Monday said it has partnered with Leilac Limited, a UK-headquartered clean technology company, to develop one of the world's largest commercial-scale pathway for low-carbon cement production at Sanghipuram in Kutch, Gujarat.
Once successful, the project could be scaled up by 7 to 8 times to capture more than one million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, helping establish a scalable pathway for low-carbon cement production in India and beyond.
"The cement industry's transition to a lower-carbon future will require bold thinking, technological innovation and collaboration across the value chain. Our partnership with Leilac reflects our commitment to evaluating next-generation technologies that can reduce process emissions while improving energy efficiency and supporting long-term sustainable growth," said Karan Adani, Director, Ambuja Cements.
"This initiative aligns with our vision of building world-class manufacturing operations for the future," he added.
The partnership marks an important step in Ambuja Cements' broader decarbonisation strategy and supports its SBTi-validated net zero target for 2050.
The commercial demonstration project at Ambuja Cements' 6.6 MTPA Sanghi plant in Sanghipuram will evaluate the integration of Leilac's carbon capture and hybrid electric heating technology to support lower-emission cement production through greater use of renewable electricity and the capture of unavoidable process carbon dioxide.
The technology is designed to enable a pathway where coal consumption can be reduced to zero, while allowing alternate fuels to be used flexibly, said the cement and building materials company of the Adani Group.
"Ambuja Cements operates one of the world's largest and most advanced cement manufacturing networks. We're delighted to begin this collaboration to deliver a commercial-scale project for low-cost, low-carbon cement production. Together, we aim to demonstrate an economic, replicable and future-proof solution for the global cement industry," said Daniel Rennie, CEO, Leilac Limited.
Importantly, this collaboration is expected to improve the economics of carbon capture, strengthening the business case for large-scale deployment of carbon capture and utilisation, the company said in a statement.
As Ambuja Cements advances the electrification of cement manufacturing to increase the use of renewable energy, backed by nearly 1 GW of captive green power, it is laying the groundwork to scale breakthrough solutions such as carbon capture.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting collaboration between India and UK. Carbon capture in cement is notoriously expensive, so this hybrid electric heating approach is novel. Hope it's not just another corporate greenwashing exercise. The net-zero 2050 target is ambitious given India's growth needs.
Good to see Indian companies taking climate tech seriously. But why always Kutch? The local ecology is fragile there. Also, 1 GW captive green power sounds impressive, but coal still dominates Adani's energy mix. Let's hope this isn't just a PR move ahead of COP summits. Need transparent data on actual emissions reduction.
As someone working in sustainable materials, this is genuinely exciting. Leilac's technology is among the few that can capture process emissions (not just energy-related CO2). If they can get capex down and make it viable at scale, it's a game-changer for developing countries that need affordable cement for infrastructure.
Yaar, first they sell us expensive cement, now they want to make 'green' expensive cement. Ultimately, the consumer will pay for all this R&D. But yes, if this reduces our carbon footprint and helps meet Paris targets, it's a necessary step. Just wish companies would focus more on reducing construction waste instead of just fancy tech fixes.
The key phrase is 'commercial-scale.' Lab tests and pilot projects are one thing, but making it work at 6.6 MTPA plant is the real challenge. If this succeeds, it could be replicated across other Adani cement plants and even licensed to other manufacturers. Still, carbon capture remains energy-intensive. Hope the math works
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