Sustainability Progress Spotlight: GCC of America, Inc. is curbing energy demand while producing lower-carbon cement across North America.

Cement plays a crucial role in our everyday lives, and the U.S. cement industry is working to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. To support this crucial goal, companies like GCC of America, Inc. are taking action. GCC has invested in solar energy at its Trident Plant to boost energy efficiency as it produces lower-carbon cement blends.?

?

In January 2024, GCC completed its first solar field project at its Trident Plant near Three Forks, Montana. The solar field can generate approximately 11% of the plant’s total energy needs, avoiding an estimated 1,151 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per year. These bypassed emissions are equivalent to taking more than 270 gasoline-powered cars off the roads for one year.??

?

The sizeable solar field contains nearly 4,650 panels and covers 11 acres of plant property, producing energy entirely for on-site plant usage, reducing consumption from the power grid.??

?

The plant has broken ground on an expansion that will double the solar system’s capacity to approximately 9,000 megawatt-hours per year of carbon-free energy. It’s scheduled to be complete by the end of 2024.With the success of the Trident Plant’s solar farm, GCC is evaluating the feasibility of large-scale solar projects across its other U.S. and Mexico facilities.??

?

Notably, the Trident Plant isn’t just using cleaner energy, it’s also producing a lower-carbon product. As a company, GCC has prioritized incorporating lower-carbon cements, like Type IL portland-limestone cement, into its portfolio.?As of 2023, the Trident Plant’s total cement production was 94% portland-limestone cement (PLC), which emits up to 10% less CO2 than traditional cement blends.?

?

“Our Trident facility has shown that investing in alternative fuels and sustainable products can enhance our environmental efforts while maintaining the high standards our customers expect,” said Ron Henley, President, GCC of America. “We look forward to replicating the impact of this solar farm at other GCC locations across North America to do our part along the Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality.”?

?

Beyond the Trident Plant, GCC is considering a number of avenues to bring down emissions and is investing $87.2M (USD) toward decarbonization projects in 2023. GCC’s Pueblo, Colorado, plant is in the planning and development phase for a pilot carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) project and has converted to exclusively produce PLCs. Collectively in 2023, the company produced 73% blended cement – including both PLCs and pozzolanic cement – more than double the 36% recorded in the previous year.?

?

#CementIndustry #PCAroadmap #CarbonNeutrality #NetZero?