The company made progress toward its 2030 decarbonization targets with an increase in the use of alternative fuels and new materials to replace clinker in cement production, and investments in renewable energy.
In 2023, Votorantim Cimentos, a building materials and sustainable solutions company, emitted, globally, 556 kg of CO2 per tonne of cement produced, 4 % less than in 2022. The company’s 2030 decarbonization target, approved by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), is 475 kg of CO2 per tonne of cement. Between 1990 and 2023, Votorantim Cimentos reduced CO2 emissions per tonne of cement produced by 27 %.
Votorantim Cimentos’ decarbonization strategy is based on four main pillars: co-processing (the substitution of fossil fuel with other materials, especially biomass and waste, in cement production kilns); the use of cementitious materials (by-products from other industries) to replace clinker, the primary source of CO2 emissions in the cement production process; energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources, through company-owned hydroelectric power plants and investments in solar and wind energy; and the development of technologies and use of innovative processes, new materials, carbon capture, gains in efficiency in the cement and concrete value chain, and partnerships with various organizations and academia to increasingly optimize resources and continue reducing carbon intensity.
In 2023, Votorantim Cimentos’ global thermal substitution rate through coprocessing was 31 %. This result reflects investments to modernize plants and the use of new sources of alternative fuels, mainly waste and biomass, to replace fossil fuels in cement production kilns. In 2022, the company achieved a thermal substitution rate of 26.5 % and its goal is to reach 53 % by 2030.
Votorantim Cimentos’ clinker factor went from 73.9 % in 2022 to 72.8 % in 2023, which also contributed to reduce emissions. The company’s goal for 2030 is to achieve a clinker factor of 68% by increasing the use of alternative raw materials, in line with the concept of a circular economy.
In 2023, 35.1 % of the electricity consumed by Votorantim Cimentos came from renewable sources, compared to 22.9 % in 2022. This increase is the result of the implementation of the Ventos do Piauí project in Brazil and the use of wind energy in Spain. The company’s goal is to have 45 % of the energy consumed globally come from renewable sources by 2030.
