Cemex plans renewables expansion in Central Europe, targets 47% CO2 reduction by 2030

Cemex is accelerating its renewable energy expansion across Central Europe with plans to expand its photovoltaic farms, reducing traditional energy use and providing long-term savings on energy costs while complying with environmental regulations, the company said in a statement June 18.

By 2030, Cemex aims to reduce CO2 emissions to below 430 kg/mt of cementitious materials, representing a 47% reduction. The company also plans to achieve 55% alternative fuel use, reduce the carbon content of concrete per cubic meter to 150 kg, which is a 41% decrease, reach 65% clean electricity consumption, and reduce Scope 3 transport emissions by 30% based on the company's 1990 baseline.

These plans follow Cemex's Climate Action strategy, Future in Action – Committed to Net Zero CO2, announced in February 2020, with updated targets in November 2022.

Cemex currently has five photovoltaic farms in Central Europe, four in Germany and one in Pruszków near Warsaw.

"Soon, there will be a total of nine such farms in Poland," the company said.

New installations will launch at cement and concrete plants in Mysłowice, Warsaw, Lublin, Szczecin, Gdańsk, and the Mirowo quarry. Following an agreement with EDP Energia Polska, photovoltaic installations exceeding 14 MWp will be built.

In Berlin, Cemex will install an additional 30 kWp at a ready-mix concrete plant to power the batching plant and electric mixer fleet with solar energy. Cemex plants currently receive 128.4 MWh of energy per month. After the expansion, this will increase to 291.4 MWh.

"In the era of ongoing climate change, we need investments that will allow our societies to develop in a more sustainable manner while also increasing our company's efficiency," Patryk Czaplewski, director of operational excellence for Central Europe, said.

The first photovoltaic farms in Central Europe, launched in 2022 in Germany, represent Cemex's largest solar installation, featuring a floating farm on the Immelborn gravel pit reservoir with a capacity of 750 kWp that produces 830 MWh of energy annually.

The first photovoltaic farm in Poland was built four years ago at the ready-mix concrete plant in Pruszków, featuring 124 panels with a capacity of 50 kWp, meeting 20% of the plant's annual energy demand.

Cemex has a contract with Statkraft to supply energy from domestic wind and photovoltaic farms to its Polish plants, which had begun supplying energy at the start of this year. This eight-year agreement will secure 30% of Cemex Polska's energy needs.

Platts assessed CEMDEX Turkey at $55/mt FOB on June 12.