Holcim Hagerstown boosts sustainability with an alternative thermal energy initiative

Holcim Hagerstown factory in Maryland is increasing its alternative thermal energy capacity to 45 percent, producing 58,000 tonnes of designed fuel annually.

The Holcim Hagerstown factory in Maryland is advancing its net-zero path by increasing its alternative thermal energy capacity to 45 percent, or 58,000 tonnes of designed fuel per year. The $11 million project, which was celebrated today with a ribbon cutting, will improve the plant’s sustainability profile by replacing traditional fuels with alternative thermal energy engineered from end-of-life materials that would otherwise be discarded, such as non-recyclable paper, plastics, and fibres.

“Expanding our alternative thermal energy use to 45 percent provides multiple environmental and economic benefits, from lowering the net carbon intensity of our cement to reducing our consumption of traditional fuels,” said Michael Nixon, senior vice president of Manufacturing North for Chicago-based Holcim US. “Importantly, it enables us to play a role in the circular economy, offering a highly safe and ecological solution for unused materials.”

The alternative thermal energy will be sourced from non-recyclable commercial and industrial materials, such as packaging materials. The bulk of these materials will be pre-processed by Geocycle, a wholly owned subsidiary of Holcim US, at its new facility in Cumberland, Maryland. The facility is permitted to process up to 75,000 tons per year of materials and will serve the needs of regional industrial manufacturers.

“The Maryland House of Delegates is proud to support Holcim’s efforts to develop low-carbon construction materials,” said Maryland House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones. “Whether through the Buy Clean Maryland Act or this year’s legislation adding cement production to the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act, Holcim has continued to demonstrate their commitment to voluntarily reducing the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions.”

Other sustainability measures at the Hagerstown factory include a solar field that produces up to 18,441,610 kilowatt hours of renewable power, accounting for more than 28 percent of the company’s electricity generation. Holcim Hagerstown cement is utilised in construction projects around the region, including Amazon’s headquarters in Virginia, Interstate 66 in Virginia, the Arlington Memorial Bridge, residences, businesses, roadways, and local infrastructure.

Source; PRNewswire