Cement producers try to become greener

Between 1990 and 2006, Canada’s cement manufacturers have improved the energy efficiency of their production operations by 11 % per tonne of cement.
The industry has also reduced its greenhouse gas emissions intensity of its production by 6.4%.
The figures are taking from the Cement Association of Canada’s 2008 Sustainability Report.
Natural Resources Canada reports that cement manufacturing is highly energy intensive, partly because of the high temperatures (1470 degrees C) required to convert molten clinker in cement kilns. To produce a single tonne of cement, some 4.46 gigajoules (GJ) of energy are needed, when one takes into account all factors such as the extraction of raw material, through cement grinding and distribution.
Source: Heads Up CIPEC newsletter, NRCan, June 2008.