HeidelbergCement has signed a concession agreement enabling district heating infrastructure at its Leimen cement plant in Baden-Württemberg. The arrangement allows utilisation of process waste heat from clinker production, which typically occurs at temperatures exceeding 1,450°C in rotary kilns. Cement manufacturing ranks among the most energy-intensive industrial processes, with thermal energy accounting for approximately 60% of production costs and contributing significantly to the sector's CO₂ footprint. The agreement marks a step toward integration of industrial waste heat recovery into municipal energy networks, a model increasingly relevant as cement producers face tightening emissions regulations under the EU ETS.
This article was created with AI assistance and editorially reviewed.
