The companies said they will jointly undertake a commercial demonstration project at Ambuja’s 6.6 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) Sanghi cement plant to evaluate Leilac’s carbon capture and hybrid electric heating technology. The technology is designed to reduce emissions, lower fuel consumption and increase the use of renewable electricity in cement manufacturing.
The project comes as cement manufacturers globally face mounting pressure to reduce carbon emissions from one of the most carbon-intensive industrial sectors. Unlike many other industries, a substantial portion of cement emissions arise from the chemical process involved in clinker production, making carbon capture a critical decarbonisation lever.
According to the companies, the technology could enable a production pathway where coal consumption is reduced to zero while allowing greater flexibility in the use of alternative fuels. It also seeks to capture process-related carbon dioxide emissions that are otherwise difficult to eliminate.
If the demonstration proves successful, the facility could be expanded by seven to eight times, enabling the capture of more than one million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. The companies described the proposed facility as potentially the largest industrial-scale project of its kind globally.
The partnership forms part of Ambuja Cements’ broader strategy to achieve its Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)-validated net-zero target by 2050. The company is also investing in nearly 1 GW of captive renewable energy capacity and expanding waste heat recovery systems to support the electrification of cement manufacturing.
“The cement industry’s transition to a lower-carbon future will require bold thinking, technological innovation and collaboration across the value chain. Our partnership with Leilac reflects our commitment to evaluating next-generation technologies that can reduce process emissions while improving energy efficiency and supporting long-term sustainable growth,” said Karan Adani, Director, Ambuja Cements.Daniel Rennie, Chief Executive Officer of Leilac Limited, said the collaboration aims to demonstrate a commercially viable and scalable pathway for low-carbon cement production.
“Together, we aim to demonstrate an economic, replicable and future-proof solution for the global cement industry,” Rennie said.
Industry experts view carbon capture as one of the key technologies required for the cement sector to meet long-term climate goals, particularly as process emissions account for a large share of the industry’s carbon footprint.
Ambuja Cements currently has a cement manufacturing capacity of 109 MTPA across 24 integrated plants and 22 grinding units.