TITAN - Pioneering Green Hydrogen for Industrial Cement Production in Greece (H2CEM) (EL11)

The project “Pioneering Green Hydrogen for Industrial Cement Production in Greece (H2CEM)” is executed by TITAN Group. TITAN Group is a leading international business in the building and infrastructure materials industry, committed to providing innovative solutions for a better world. The Group has a network of 14 integrated cement plants and three cement grinding plants and operates in more than 25 countries, holding prominent positions in the USA, Greece, the Balkans, and the Eastern Mediterranean and having a joint venture in Brazil. TITAN also operates quarries, ready-mix plants, terminals, and other production and distribution facilities, employing about 5,400 people worldwide. With a 120-year history, TITAN works tirelessly with its customers to meet the modern needs of society while promoting sustainable growth with responsibility and integrity.

H2CEM is part of TITAN activities to address climate change by improving the carbon footprint of cement production, contributing to the European goal for 55% greenhouse gas emissions’ reduction by 2030.

The main objective of the project H2CEM is to advance the use of green hydrogen towards the decarbonisation of cement manufacturing, by enhancing the substitution of fossil fuels with green hydrogen and other sustainably sourced fuels in the cement clinker manufacturing process. The project includes the production of green hydrogen through electrolysis, powered by renewable electricity generation units (wind or solar plants). To this end, green hydrogen production units with total power of 3.5 MW will be installed and operated at TITAN cement plants in Greece. Part of the research and development activities in H2CEM is also the construction and operation of a pilot-scale rotary kiln designed to run with hydrogen as main fuel to produce cement clinker.

The First Industrial Deployment part of H2CEM will focus on TITAN cement plants in Greece (Kamari in Boeotia, Drepano in Achaia, and Efkarpia in Thessaloniki). Industrial deployment of green hydrogen in these plants will lead to reducing CO₂ emissions by 160,000 tons/ year (at least 8% per ton of product).

Considering the significant technical challenges of transitioning to green hydrogen as climate-neutral fuel for the cement industry, research, and development activities in H2CEM will lead to a deeper understanding of hydrogen combustion phenomena, especially in terms of designing and operating clinker production facilities in the future. In this respect, H2CEM, which is the only project in the second IPCEI that concerns the use of hydrogen as a climate-neutral fuel for cement production, is considered a milestone project on the European cement industry roadmap towards decarbonization.

The establishment of a network between research and academic entities in Greece and Europe, as well as green hydrogen technology and RES providers, is a further important aspect of the project: The materialization of the project will result in the creation of new job opportunities for highly skilled employees, while the relevant expertise will be disseminated to the Greek and European cement industry, social and other stakeholders.

https://www.titan-cement.com/
Contact: m.katsiotis@titancement.com