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falling short of the 20% reduction target, mainly due to regulatory
and market conditions that influence product and fuel mix,
the Group remains determined to address the climate change
challenge and commits to achieve a level of 500kg CO₂ per ton
of cementitious product specific net Scope 1 CO₂ emissions by
2030. Scope 2 emissions were reduced by 5.4% (compared to 2019)
in 2020, bringing them to 58.8kg CO₂ per ton of cementitious
product. TITAN has already measured Scope 3 indirect emissions
at two of its plants in Greece and Serbia, identifying critical areas
of carbon emissions in the supply chain. In 2021, it will start to
monitor scope 3 emissions at all its cement plants.
In cooperation with local stakeholders, TITAN Group continued
to utilize technological advances, developed in-house or by its
partners, to maximize the use of available alternative fuels and
materials. Alternative fuel utilization slightly decreased, achieving a
total substitution rate of 13.1% on thermal basis compared to 13.5%
in 2019. Biomass use also remained unchanged, reaching a thermal
substitution rate of 3.8%. In 2020, the Group inaugurated a new
processing line for alternative fuels at the Pennsuco cement plant in
Florida and upgraded alternative fuels feeding installations in several
of its cement plants in Europe. The Thessaloniki cement plant in
Greece expanded its environmental permit to facilitate the use of
Solid Recovered Fuel/Refuse Derived Fuel (SRF/RDF) from municipal
solid waste (MSW), while in Bulgaria and the USA, the Group’s
plants installed equipment, which enables the utilization of natural
gas, thereby reducing their carbon footprint. Dried sewage sludge,
refinery sludge, tires, SRF/RDF, and agricultural waste were used to
substitute conventional solid fuels in several of the Group’s plants
in 2020. The Group recorded a slight decrease in its thermal basis
alternative fuels substitution rate, which reached 13.1% compared
to 13.5% in 2019. Two of the Group’s plants in Greece – Kamari and
Thessaloniki – and the Zlatna Panega plant in Bulgaria managed
to increase their use of alternative fuels and are leading examples
in the Group for the substitution of fossil fuels. In contrast, the
limited availability of suitable streams and the delays in obtaining
permits restricted the Group’s ability to make more extensive use
of alternative fuels in other regions. Similarly, and in collaboration
with its clients, the Group product portfolio was further developed
to include, as of 2020, significant volumes of low-carbon cements
and concrete, with a high content of limestone, fly ash and/or other
cementitious materials. In the USA, Type IL cement, which has a
higher limestone content, already has good market penetration,
while in TITAN Greece received all the necessary cement
certifications to facilitate this transition.
Addressing stakeholders’ increasing expectations for
environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosures, the Group
further advanced its climate-related disclosures. TITAN responded
for the first time to the CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project)
climate change and water security questionnaires.
The Group’s plants in Greece and Bulgaria, where the EU Emissions
Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is in force, are entering Phase IV (2021-
2030) with a long position, which should last for at least five years
assuming there is no significant change in the EU ETS rules, thus
minimizing the Group’s financial exposure.
As energy management is closely connected to the sector’s
de-carbonization roadmap, TITAN is systematically monitoring
energy consumption and efficiency. Reduction of electrical
consumption was achieved over the last years with the installation
of advanced equipment, like low energy vertical roller mills, roller
presses, or motors with inverters. In the case of thermal energy,
the frequent inspections of equipment and timely maintenance
by plant teams, and the replacement or installation of new
energy-efficient equipment (e.g., grate coolers and 5-stage
preheaters, careful selection of fuels, use of mineralizers as
well as optimization of the operations) helps sustain this good
performance. In 2016, the Group made its first step in applying
energy efficiency management systems in its cement plants.
The Tokat cement plant in Turkey was the first to be certified
according to ISO 50001, followed by the Greek cement plants
and Roanoke cement plant in the US. TITAN Group continued on
the path of expanding the use of energy efficiency management
systems. In 2020, the Pennsuco cement plant in Florida successfully
completed the process and was granted its ISO 50001 certification.
Other TITAN facilities are currently working on the development
of such systems, aiming to obtain certification during 2021. The
Group’s clinker capacity covered with ISO 50001 represents 54.9 %
of its total clinker production, exceeding the target of 50.0% set for
2020.
Circular economy
The circular economy, according to which practices, such as
reuse, recycling, and recovery of materials and energy, replace the
practice of produce-consume-dispose, is crucial to reducing waste,
minimizing the need for primary raw materials and landfill while
contributing to combating climate change.
Recognizing the circular economy as fundamental for developing
a more sustainable business model, TITAN works on adopting
and integrating practices in alignment with its principles. Energy
efficiency, the conscious use of raw materials, the use of alternative
raw materials and fuels and the implementation of efficient waste
management systems are proven means of adding value throughout
the value chain as well as providing solutions at a local level.
In 2020, TITAN implemented programs to collect ready-mix
concrete waste and concrete returns for use as alternative
raw materials for clinker, cement, concrete and concrete block
production, and as aggregates for pavements and other uses.
ST Equipment & Technology (STET) in the USA, a wholly-owned
TITAN subsidiary, develops and supplies specialized processing
equipment for the beneficiation of fine particle materials, such
as fly ash, industrial minerals and organics. STET develops and
promotes the use of waterless, energy-efficient, and low-emission
technologies and has committed to the UN Global Compact to
replace water-intensive mineral processes.
Waste produced by the Group as part of its everyday activities is
collected, stored, and disposed of through authorized contractors
for reuse, recycling, or recovery, with the aim to promote higher
levels of waste management and to minimize landfill. The recycling
of concrete returns diverted from landfill increased by almost 15%. As
a result, the percentage of total waste produced that was collected,
stored, and channeled, through authorized contractors, for reuse,
recycling, or recovery increased to 82.6%, compared to 76.8% in 2019.
In 2020, the Pennsuco cement plant in the USA was recognized as
TITAN Cement Group
Integrated Annual Report 2020