During the opening of the IEEE-IAS/PCA Conference, which took place from April 28th to May 2nd at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, the president and CEO of the Portland Cement Association (PCA), Mike Ireland, opened his speech at the largest annual meeting of the cement industry in the United States with a rather optimistic summary regarding the results of the members of the Association and its staff during the past year.
The president highlighted that at the moment the industry is going through a winning streak and it is just the beginning. These were the achievements and highlights during 2023:
- More than $1.2 billion in potential grants for carbon management projects were awarded by the Department of Energy to the Association’s producer members: Heidelberg Materials North America, National Cement Company of California, Roanoke Cement Co. and Summit Materials Inc. These projects aim towards the path to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
- Portland Limestone Cement (PLC) approval by 50 state transportation agencies. PLC cement is a blended hydraulic cement manufactured with up to 15% finely ground limestone under strict quality and production controls for consistent product performance. This type of cement can be used for all concrete construction jobs, including projects that may require the concrete to withstand exposure to adverse environmental conditions.
- 4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions were avoided due to industry migration of ASTM C150 Type I/II to PLC or ASTM C595 Type IL. All this thanks to the industry’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions in cement production.
- 11 PCA member plants earned EPA Energy Star certification. This certification was created to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants caused by inefficient energy use and make it easier for consumers to identify and purchase energy-efficient products.
- Two members of the PCA and the Association itself earned Energy Star Partner of the Year status, this award distinguishes corporate energy management programs and is the highest level of recognition from the EPA.
- The inauguration of the first Sustainability Summit organized by PCA where Roadmap towards Carbon Neutrality progress was shared with content for all actors in the supply value chain. The event was very well attended.
- The panel hosted by PCA and the Global Cement and Concrete Association, Decarbonizing through Collaboration, at Climate Week in New York City in September.
Mike Ireland also spoke about PCA members and staff priorities for the next five years, including blended cements, alternative fuels and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) methods. The intervention of the president of the Association set the tone of the General Session of the event anchoring the activities of the third day of the IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Industry Conference 2024.
Source: https://cementproducts.com/
