Hydrogen deployment milestone for Cemex and HiiROC

Cemex kick-start first-of-a-kind low-carbon hydrogen project using thermal plasma electrolysis in cement production 

CEMEX Ventures, Cemex’s corporate venture capital (CVC) and open innovation unit, announced today an initial hydrogen deployment at industrial scale with HiiROC, the pioneering British hydrogen company that produces affordable, clean hydrogen, at their Rugby cement plant in the UK.

Hydrogen has emerged as a low-carbon energy source within the construction industry’s decarbonization roadmap and offers potential as an energy solution to help reduce the sector’s reliance on fossil fuels and lower CO₂ emissions. This venture marks a significant milestone for Cemex, as it represents the beginning of a large-scale strategic project plan with the aim to further lower their carbon emissions in cement production.

HiiROC produce carbon-neutral hydrogen using their proprietary Thermal Plasma Electrolysis (TPE) process, which requires just one-fifth of the electrical energy used in water electrolysis and captures carbon as a solid by-product, avoiding CO₂ emissions – a game-changer for the industry. HiiROC’s modular solution can be deployed as single units to full-scale industrial plants, and the hydrogen produced can be used as an alternative energy source to fuel clinker production processes, helping Cemex to achieve their decarbonization goals.

‘Our investment into this breakthrough project with HiiROC reinforces Cemex’s commitment to transform the industry by working hand in hand with disruptive start-ups and new technologies,’ said Gonzalo Galindo, head of Cemex Ventures. ‘Hydrogen as an alternative source of energy has the capacity to significantly reduce the CO₂ emissions produced in our operations, aligning with our 2050 goal to become a net-zero CO2 company and be industry leaders in the industrial use of hydrogen.’

‘This deployment with Cemex marks a significant development in the use of HiiROC’s technology and another milestone in the rollout and production of affordable, clean, and scalable production units for a hard-to-decarbonize industry,’ said Tim Davies, HiiROC’s co-founder and chief executive officer.

This milestone is part of a longer-running strategic partnership between Cemex and HiiROC, which began in 2021 with an initial investment through Cemex’s corporate venture capital arm. Two years later, in 2023, Cemex increased their stake in HiiROC to expand their hydrogen capacity at their pivotal cement plant in Rugby.

This project is part of the roadmap for Future in Action, Cemex’s sustainability and decarbonization programme, with the primary objective of becoming a net-zero CO₂ company by 2050. Through Future in Action, Cemex have achieved company record-breaking progress in reducing their carbon footprint since its launch in 2020.