Holcim has invested in plasma technology to help scale its near-zero cement production capabilities and eventually establish an all-electric cement production plant.
The company partnered with SaltX Technology, which is a Swedish-based company that focuses on electrifying industrial processes. Its electric plasma technology uses renewable energy to produce clinker and concentrates carbon emissions from primary materials.
“By combining Holcim’s expertise with SaltX’s groundbreaking technology, we have an additional lever to decarbonise the entire cement manufacturing process,” Holcim head of operational excellence Ram Muthu said.
“Through this strategic collaboration, we can enhance our ability to produce near-zero cement at scale to meet customer demand as the leading partner for sustainable construction.”
The investment from Holcim in Saltx Technology is a key step in establishing the world’s first plant for all-electric cement production. It expands Holcim’s range of decarbonisation technologies. This includes 17 investments to date through MAQER Ventures, which will support scaling built environment technologies.
“This partnership is a major recognition of our technology and our long-term vision. Together with Holcim, who is an ideal partner for us, we are now taking the next step to scale and industrialise our solution through close technical and commercial collaboration,” SaltX chief executive officer Lina Jorheden said.
