Energy Consumption in Cement Industry

by Tina Singh Professional Content Writer

The Indian Cement industry is the second-largest cement industry in the world. It comprises more than 200 large plants and a minimum of 300 small plants spread across the country. The Indian cement industry contribution amounts to more than 500 tons of cement per annum and is mainly dominated by 20 companies which account for 70% of total Indian cement production. The cement is used for industrial purposes and infrastructure development. Indian cement industry also exports cement and clinker after meeting the entire domestic demand.

The Government of India has also launched various policies and schemes to promote housing security and the development of the socio-economic status of the country, such as ‘Har Ghar Mein Toilet’, ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’, etc. These policies aim to develop rural and sub-urban areas in terms of infrastructure and transportation. This is directly benefiting the cement industry to flourish as the demand for cement has already begun to increase.

Challenges in the Near Future:

The cement industry is one of the largest energy consumers in India owing to its sheer size. And this comes with several of its own challenges.

The energy required: Approximately, 110KWh is required to produce per tonne of cement.
Costing: Energy cost represents 40% of the total production cost involved in producing 1 ton of cement.
Implications: In the process of manufacturing cement, raw materials like coal and oils are burnt that results in the emission of harmful gases.
Raw Material Security: India had to import 13.5 million tons of coal from America in 2018.
Environmental Concern: Around 5-6% of carbon dioxide is released by the cement industry that contributes to the greenhouse effect. It also causes major health implications like eye and skin irritation by cement dust and chemical burns by wet concrete.

We can overcome these challenges by practicing waste management. Every year, the cement companies utilize tons of coal and other raw materials which are non- biodegradable in nature. But considering the shortage of raw material supply, the cement industry can be a major participant in waste management. Waste materials like household waste can be used to produce alternative fuels and raw materials (AFR) and also, we can save up to INR 1Billion which are spent on coal imports.

In order to improve opportunities for energy efficiency in the cement industry, CMA focuses on environmental sustainability initiatives, the selection of better raw materials, and policies to enhance the business without crossing the environmental standards set by the government.

It is an apex body of major cement plants in India and is responsible for regulating the manufacturing process of cement in India. It is an association of major cement companies that speaks for them on the issues related to their business.