Photovoltaic energy storage in cement plants

Gonzalez and Flamant (2013) designed a hybrid model that uses solar and fossil fuel energy to fulfill the thermal energy requirement for cement manufacturing. Concentrated solar thermal (CST) is a potential replacement for 40%–100% of the thermal energy needed in a conventional cement plant.

For solar cement plants, it is shown that the solar multiple and thermal storage size are the determining factors for the solarization rate, i.e., the possible CO 2 avoidance. The maximum CO 2 avoidance rate, equalling a 100% solarization of the calciner, is 21% in comparison to the overall cement plant emissions.

The SolCement project (SolCement, 2023) developed two innovative experimental technologies: a Thermochemical Storage Reactor (TSR) for indirect storage of solar energy during the day and indirect release during the night and a Solar Calciner (SC) for the solarization of the calcination of limestone (Karagiannakis et al., 2019).

Holcim plans to install solar on a 100-acre field site on the Alpena property, which produces 2.4 million metric tons of cement per year, including the OneCem brand cement, a low-carbon cement which cuts 10% emissions per year, as well as Types I through III, Masonry Type N and Type S cements.

Synhelion and Cemex announced today a significant milestone in their joint effort to develop fully solar-driven cement production: the scaling of their technology to industrially-viable levels. This includes the continuous production of clinker, the most energy-intensive part of cement manufacturing, using only solar heat.

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6 FAQs about [Photovoltaic energy storage in cement plants]

Can solar energy be used in cement production?

Recently the use of solar energy in cement production has drawn significant research and scientific interest. Licht et al. (2012) developed a method for cement production, which results into near zero CO 2 emissions.

Can solar clinker be used for cement production?

For the first time ever, CEMEX and Synhelion successfully connected the clinker production process with the Synhelion solar receiver, producing solar clinker. This revolutionary innovation is an initial step to develop fully solar-driven cement plants.

What is the solarization rate of a cement plant?

What is the achievable co avoidance rate for solar cement plants?

The energy balance in the solar calciner is analyzed and different scenarios are investigated. The achievable CO avoidance rate for solar cement plants for the considered scenarios lies between 14 and 17%.

Will Cemex & synhelion develop fully solar-driven cement production?

Cemex and Synhelion have made significant progress in their joint effort to develop fully solar-driven cement production. They have scaled their technology to industrially-viable levels, enabling the continuous production of clinker, the most energy-intensive part of cement manufacturing, using only solar heat.

Will Cemex & synhelion build a pilot cement plant?

Cemex and Synhelion will now take further steps toward constructing a pilot cement plant powered by solar energy. Fernando A. González, CEO of Cemex, stated, "I am convinced we are getting closer to the technologies that will enable net-zero CO₂ cement and concrete production.

Photovoltaic energy storage in cement plants