Greener Cement Industries in Africa

Project Summary:

The project aimed to make cement production more energy efficient and competitive, while better managing urban waste streams. Rapidly urbanizing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, which is expected to be home to 90 percent of the total African population by 2050, rely heavily on cement to build houses and infrastructure. The problem is that cement production is generally energy-intensive, resulting in increased greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. At the same time, urban waste generation is expected to increase by more than 440,000 tons per day by 2025. By leveraging the increased waste from cities and turning it into fuel, this World Bank KGGTF-funded green growth implementation program aims to support green growth by reducing the amount of fossil-fuel consumption associated with making cement.  The program will find alternative fuel sources, including non-hazardous industrial waste and domestic trash, for the more than 70 cement facilities in the region. The change in energy source could reduce production costs and environmental and health impacts currently associated with urban growth in the region.

List of Activities:

• Understanding the situation and the potential of green growth in cement
• Analyzing the situation of usable waste streams and identifying opportunities
• Helping stakeholders understand the opportunity through dialogue and a common vision
• Developing an action plan for greener cement in Africa
• Implementing an ICT platform for greener cement

Outcomes:

Output 1:  Diagnosis

• Events (meetings, training, workshops, etc.) with stakeholders
• Reports (assessments, surveys, etc.) completed

Output 2: Action Plan

• Events (meetings, training, workshops, etc.) with stakeholders
• Reports (assessments, surveys, etc.) completed
• Roadmaps completed

Output 3: Implementation

• Events
• Knowledge dissemination material completed
• Industrial entities implementing the recommended measures
• Decrease in fossil fuel (especially coal) use
• Increase in alternative fuel use
• Reduction in GHG emissions, by tons of CO2e per year
• Energy/Fuel cost savings, $ per year

Outcomes:

The project ran for two years and expected to achieve following outcomes: An active stakeholder engagement platform which will facilitate dissemination of information and create an inclusive decision-making environment; Diagnostic reports that analyze current state of cement industries and waste streams to present opportunities for using waste as an alternative fuel; Greener Cement Roadmap will outline the steps needs to be taken to achieve a clean cement industry, and how to create a business environment incentivizing resource efficiency; Government agencies and cement industry stakeholders will be better informed about impacts and benefits of adopting clean production measures; ICT Platform will allow better management and re-direction of waste from landfills to be used as fuel in cement kilns; an opportunity to promote a regional mechanisms that would help develop these initiatives in the region. This will be explored jointly with IFC MAS/ Infra as the project is developed.

Collaboration with K-Partners and Others:

• WBG internal partners: IFC MAS Investment team works with cement industry actors in Africa. These existing client relations will be leveraged to establish strategic dialogue platforms which will be crucial for diagnosing of gaps and opportunities.
• External partners from Korea: The Korea Industrial Complex Corporation has an MOU with the IFC. KICOX is a global expert on industrial symbiosis, one of the main solutions to waste use in clinker production. The team has had initial exchanges on engagement. The Korea Cement Association has over 20 years of experience in sustainable and green cement. Their knowledge could provide input to the project.
• Other external partners: The local Clean Production Centers established by UNIDO, if they are present in the country selected for the project.