Cement, concrete and aggregates giant Cemex is set to install solar power and battery storage innovations at its Hamer Warren quarry in Hampshire.
The move follows a successful implementation of the same solution at its Alrewas Readymix Plant concrete facility in Staffordshire. The scheme at Alrewas uses a 90kWh battery, along with solar panels, and expects to save 200 t of CO2. The unit reduced “night-time diesel generator usage by 68%”, according to Cemex.
Cemex said in a statement: “As a result of the success at Alrewas, a second battery and solar unit installation is now planned at Cemex’s Hamer Warren quarry, in the New Forest, Hampshire.
“The same renewable energy technology will be utilised at Hamer Warren to reduce diesel consumption during the plant’s onsite pumping activities.”
The Alrewas site was not connected to the electricity transmission grid in 2023 and was using on-site diesel generators for power supply. Cemex’s team, working under the company’s climate action programme, ‘Future in Action’, installed a hybrid solar unit to reduce carbon emissions.
The Future in Action plan has committed Cemex to reduce its carbon footprint to below 430kg of CO2 per ton of cementitious material, equivalent to a 47% reduction, based on its 1990 baseline.
It also aims to reduce the carbon content per m3 of concrete to 150kg, equivalent to a 41% reduction, to reach 65% in clean electricity consumption by 2030 and to reduce Scope 3 transport emissions by 30% by 2030.
Cemex Western Europe Materials operational excellence manager Steven Coles said: “Cemex is embracing all forms of new innovations and ideas in the quest to lower our carbon footprint.
“As our operations transition towards net zero, we are all enjoying the experience of designing and utilising new technology, with batteries and other forms of renewable energy.
Coles added that Cemex’s had undertaken “intensive training” with educational organisation the Renewables Institute that had “enabled us to skill up in this critical area.”
He added: “It is empowering in itself to have completed several renewable projects over the past year and to now have more exciting projects in the pipeline.”
Cemex VP for corporate affairs, sustainability and ERM Andy Spencer said: “It is inspiring to witness our Future in Action programme sparking high levels of ingenuity and creativity within our workforce.
“The renewables installation at Alrewas is attractive in both payback and CO2 reduction, as well as being replicable across other operations that are not able to be connected to the electricity grid. The future here is bright!”
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