Thai cement sector pilots Canadian carbon capture unit in Saraburi

The Thai Cement Manufacturers Association has deployed a Canadian-developed mobile carbon capture unit in Thailand for the first time, rotating it across cement plants in Saraburi province to test the technology under industrial operating conditions, the association said.

The pilot is part of the Thailand-Canada project "Decarbonization of the Cement and Concrete Sectors in Thailand" and supports the Thailand 2050 Net Zero Cement and Concrete Roadmap, TCMA said in an Aug. 3 statement.

The unit will be tested at cement plants operated by TCMA member companies in Saraburi to assess performance, collect technical data and evaluate future investment pathways for carbon capture in Thailand's cement industry, TCMA said.

The pilot puts the "Saraburi Sandbox" at the center of Thailand's cement decarbonization efforts, TCMA said.

"The transition to Net Zero for hard-to-abate sectors such as cement cannot be achieved in isolation," Chana Poomee, TCMA honorary chairman and president of the ASEAN Federation of Cement Manufacturers, said, adding, "It requires policy support from the government, as well as international collaboration in technology, finance, and knowledge transfer to accelerate real-world implementation."

Cement is considered difficult to decarbonize because emissions come from both energy use and the chemical process of producing clinker, the key intermediate material used in cement, TCMA said. Carbon capture is one of the key solutions for high-emission industries such as cement, and that early preparation is needed to develop technology, workforce readiness and supporting infrastructure.

Richelle Bourgouin, Saskatchewan's deputy minister of trade and export development, said the collaboration could connect clean technology, research and innovation expertise between Thailand and Canada and support future trade and investment cooperation in Thailand and across ASEAN.

Saraburi is being developed as a prototype low-carbon city integrating technology, infrastructure, standards and investment frameworks to support Thailand's long-term industrial transition, the association said.

TCMA said the pilot comes as global carbon measures, including carbon pricing and emissions trading systems, become more stringent. The project is intended to help Thailand's cement industry remain competitive in a low-carbon economy while advancing the sector's 2050 net-zero target.

Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed CEMDEX Turkey at $55.5/metric ton on July 30, up 50 cents/mt week over week.