CEMEX and CEMEX Ventures announced an investment in Waste to Energy Advanced Solutions (WtEnergy), a Barcelona-based clean energy startup that has developed a novel process to transform solid waste into synthesis gas for industrial purposes.
WtEnergy converts biomass and non-recyclable waste into a lower-carbon energy solution, which can be used in the short-term as a fossil fuel alternative or be upgraded in the medium- and long-term to gases such as biomethane or pure hydrogen.
CEMEX intends to incorporate the clean energy source into its clinker and cement manufacturing process, further reducing the carbon footprint of its operations. The company said it aims to increase its fossil fuel substitution rate by 20 percentage points by 2030.
“This investment aligns with our strategy to find innovative clean fuel and energy sources for the cement industry,” said Gonzalo Galindo, head of CEMEX Ventures. “We have outlined an ambitious rollout strategy across multiple operations, starting with Spain and other European countries before expanding to other international markets.”
Alternative fuels are an important lever of CEMEX’s ambitious 2030 decarbonization roadmap, which has been validated by the Science-Based Targets initiative for alignment under their new 1.5ºc scenario, the most ambitious pathway defined for the industry. One of the main levers for achieving its targets is using alternative fuels with high biomass content.
