World Cement Association CEO Ian Riley has labelled the UK Government’s latest round of funding under the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund as a “significant step”.
Riley’s praise for the initiative comes after the UK Government supported 25 businesses adopting emissions-cutting projects supported with £51.9 million in funding.
The funding is a targeted approach to support low-carbon technologies for businesses looking to shift their business practices to a more sustainable approach.
“The Industrial Energy Transformation Fund’s latest funding round is a significant step forward in fostering low-carbon innovation across industries,” he said.
“By supporting transformative technologies such as large-scale carbon capture, the IETF is enabling businesses to contribute meaningfully to the UK’s net-zero goals.”
Heidelberg Materials UK (formerly Hanson Cement) in North Wales received a £5.6 million grant to progress its carbon capture and storage project. The project is expected to capture 800,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year once operational and create hundreds of jobs during construction.
“[It] will enable us to help decarbonise the construction industry and meet our overall ambition to become a net zero business,” Heidelberg Materials UK chief executive officer Simon Willis said.
“This global exemplar project will provide net zero construction materials for major projects across the country, from new offshore wind farms and nuclear power stations to clean transport infrastructure, as early as 2028.”
Riley advocated for similar funding to be targeted in the cement industry to help it transition away from carbon-intensive approaches to producing building materials.
“The urgency to decarbonise the cement industry cannot be overstated. Contributing 8% of all global CO₂ emissions, the sector requires immediate action, particularly as 2024 marked the first year global warming surpassed the 1.5°C threshold,” he said.
“[The] CCS project exemplifies the decisive measures needed to tackle this crisis and demonstrates how carbon capture technology can be effectively deployed to mitigate emissions. As the only currently viable and scalable solution to decarbonising cement production, CCS offers the most likely pathway to significantly reducing the industry’s carbon footprint.
“As outlined in the World Cement Association’s latest white paper, global demand for cement and clinker is projected to decline sharply by 2050. However, the sector remains one of the largest industrial emitters of CO₂, and the scale of emissions from remaining production necessitates the swift adoption of technologies like CCS, greater use of alternative fuels, and adoption of low-carbon binders for concrete.
“These measures are not merely about meeting demand more sustainably but are essential for mitigating the substantial emissions footprint that persists even as production slows. Industry collaboration and robust policy support will be critical in accelerating the transition to a decarbonised future.”
