To mark its entry on the use of low cost unique Hydrotreatment Technology for the production of high value hydrogen, global building materials firm Cemex is set to deploy an innovative hydrogen production process at its Rugby Cement Plant in the UK. This work was conducted in conjunction with British hydrogen company HiiROC to reduce carbon emissions in cement making.
HiiROC’s proprietary Thermal Plasma Electrolysis (TPE) technology converts hydrocarbons into hydrogen and solid carbon using plasma torches. This method requires only 20% of the electrical energy used in traditional water electrolysis and avoids CO₂ emissions by capturing carbon as a solid byproduct.
The modular design of HiiROC’s system allows for scalable deployment, from single units to full-scale industrial installations. At the Rugby plant, the produced hydrogen will serve as an alternative fuel in clinker production, potentially reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering CO₂ emissions.
This project is part of Cemex’s “Future in Action” program, which aims to achieve net-zero CO₂ emissions by 2050. The company has previously integrated hydrogen technology across its European plants to enhance combustion efficiency and reduce fossil fuel usage.
In 2021, HiiROC and Cemex joined forces when Cemex Ventures, the corporate venture capital unit of Cemex, invested in HiiROC to take the Rugby plant’s hydrogen capacity up a notch. Certainly, this confirms Cemex’s willingness to implement innovative technologies to industrial decarbonization.
Gonzalo Galindo, Head of Cemex Ventures, stated,
“Our investment into this breakthrough project with HiiROC reinforces Cemex’s commitment to transform the industry by working hand in hand with disruptive startups and new technologies.”
He added,
“Hydrogen as an alternative source of energy has the capacity to significantly reduce the CO₂ emissions produced in our operations, aligning with our 2050 goal to become a net-zero CO₂ company and be industry leaders in the industrial use of hydrogen.”
Tim Davies, Co-Founder and CEO of HiiROC, commented,
“This deployment with Cemex marks a significant development in the use of HiiROC’s technology and another milestone in the rollout and production of affordable, clean, and scalable production units for a hard-to-decarbonize industry.”
First studies for the Rugby plant project will take place in early 2025, and production of the hydrogen in January 2026. This approach would be successful if it could be repeated globally across Cemex’s operations and represents an important advance towards sustainable cement production.
It’s part of broader industry trend in moving to low carbon technologies to help meet environmental targets as well as reduce reliance on the use of fossil fuel. Such projects could have wide implications on the movement to a more sustainable construction sector.
