Decarbonisation Technologies 

Efficiency Measures

Energy efficiency is a longstanding principle adopted by the sector, by virtue of the significance of energy to ceramic production costs. Nevertheless, continuous developments, and uptake by sites at different stages of investment cycles, means that efficiency improvements will be the largest contributor to more-immediate decarbonisation of the sector.

Whilst full-scale significant investments in state-of-the-art technologies deliver step-changes to operational plant efficiency (which there are a number of examples already in the industry) there are also many wide-ranging other incremental measures which can help to improve efficiency (such as improved automation and process control, monitoring, maintenance) and recovery heat from the process for use, such as in product drying stages. The key is access to finances and funding support for many companies, particularly SMEs.

On-site Power Generation

There are many companies who have either invested in on-site renewable generation to support operations, hold Power Purchase Agreements with off-site generators, or procure certified renewable energy (which presently accounts for around 67% of sector electricity consumption).

Others want to invest in renewable generation but face considerable delays due to insufficient network capacity to support excess electricity export capability from sites. There remains further potential for self-generation of electricity in the sector, assuming grid constraints are resolved.

Electricity Network Decarbonisation

Government electricity network reforms are already driving electricity grid decarbonisation towards Government’s target for a decarbonised grid by 2035. Future costs of (decarbonised) electricity will be an important factor in ensuring international competitiveness is not even further undermined, or present additional barriers to potential electrification of firing (through costs and security of supply issues).

Hydrogen

Roadmap modelling projects that hydrogen will be indispensable to the UK ceramic sector … by far the largest overall decarbonisation contributor. The distribution and use of hydrogen by the industry (at its dispersed sites) is crucial to the future of UK ceramic manufacturing. As a hard-to-abate application, ceramics should be a ‘priority use’ application.

With the predominant fuel currently used for firing being natural gas, it is seen as the principal future alternative, particularly at larger ceramic installations (where there will be no viable alternatives).

The development of the hydrogen supply chain and market, including infrastructure and supply distribution, is crucial to underpin its commercial adoption by companies. Whilst initially roll-out may be focussed around industrial clusters, expansion of the network to dispersed areas is envisaged and would lead to a step change in roll-out. Individual companies may also explore self-production of green hydrogen (with renewable power).

As a precursor to this, viability of firing with hydrogen is being assessed (as an alternative for natural gas-fired kilns) with trials across the UK ceramic sector taking place. A number of small scale projects / activities (by both consortium groups and individual companies) are underway to-date, ranging from 20% hydrogen : 80% natural gas blends, through to 100% hydrogen-only supplies.

Electrification

Electrification is seen as a key ceramic fuel-switching technology and is already available … albeit only for relatively ‘small-scale’ production (where technology exists and is commercially-viable).

Coupled with the move to low- / zero-carbon electricity, the broadening of electrification to larger production volumes (typically associated with larger emissions) is crucial to begin to have a tangible contribution to carbon emissions reductions in the sector. However, a culmination of significant techno-economic / innovation challenges / constraints have (and continue to) prevent electrification from developing further, restricting broader potential uptake in the sector.

A decision to fully shift to electrification for firing would be extremely-significant and challenging for all companies to make. As well as off- and on-site infrastructure considerations, companies would face many risks, uncertainties and disruptions, planning considerations, considerable capital investment (over longer payback periods) and much-higher running costs once operational.

We envisage there being no scenario where electrification could encompass all ceramic production sites or products, but immediate enabling interventions are necessary to begin to drive a holistic change across both electricity network infrastructure, electricity costs and R&D for the firing process and materials.

Radical re-design of kilns and processes is needed for larger-scale production, and as a process:

• It will not create the same air movement as gas firing

• Heat transfer to products, thermal uniformity and consistency of firing will drastically differ

• Oxygen-reducing / flash conditions cannot be created, which will limit product applicability.

Commercial adoption would depend on competitiveness of electricity costs versus alternative fuels. Progress in the necessary R&D (to-date) is restricted, even in countries with much lower industrial electricity prices, due to the firing cost differential versus more-conventional production methods.

Logistically, electrification requires other adaptations, including up-scaling of grid connection capacity (at significant cost and disruption to site electricity supplies), and on-site upgrades to associated infrastructure (which again will incur significant expenditure and disruption). Process switching from gas firing would effectively mean a plant re-build in its entirety (retro-fit to existing plant will not be possible) with a cessation of production for prolonged periods of time.

Bio-Energy

As with other firing methods, a prerequisite to adopting bio-energy is the availability of fuel supplies. Use of bio-energy for firing may have limited uptake in the sector; particularly given the limited availability of suitable feedstock and Government intentions to focus its use towards ‘prioritised applications’. Nevertheless, its use in certain circumstances is envisaged and some companies are already exploring the feasibility of bio-energy at production sites.

Carbon Capture

There are cutting-edge, emerging technologies to capture carbon emissions:

• Storing them to prevent atmospheric release - Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

• Conversion into a useable product - Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU)

• Bio-energy use and storing emissions - Bio-energy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCs).

Carbon capture technologies are novel, complex, in their relative infancy for industrial applications, and at present their deployment is envisaged at the largest of power generation and industrial sites (such as steel or cement works). It is extortionately expensive, benefiting from economies of scale for larger / clustered emission sources; and this is where R&D and engagement by technology providers, funding availability, as well as commercial opportunities are currently focussed. Even where abatement is implemented it would still not eliminate all emissions due to operational efficiency.

Carbon-capture is seen as a potential future technology for ceramics, particularly in helping to mitigate process emissions (from clays / additives) and more-likely for larger ceramic installations. Aside from any extortionate capital investment and substantial operating costs, other factors are critical as to whether carbon capture could potentially be adopted, including total site carbon emissions and carbon concentration. The UK ceramics industry overall has ~27% process emissions, but these are highly-varied across the sector. Over 90% of sites are small / ultra-small emitters and gas streams are also of dilute carbon dioxide concentration (less than 5% v/v).

Industrial clusters are currently a focal point for carbon capture transport / storage infrastructure. The sector’s dispersed locations could therefore limit potential tie-in opportunities, although local collaboration with adjacent industrial sites and CCU could potentially offer more-practical and commercially-viable solutions. A number of companies are exploring potential future implementation opportunities.

Product Adaption

Process emissions (from clays / additives) are not exclusive to ceramics, although compared to other energy-intensive industries the scale and concentration of carbon emissions, as well as number / breadth / location of sites, means that their potential abatement will be considerably more challenging, and with more-restricted commercially-viable options to abate them.

Whilst fuel-switching will have the largest overall contribution to emissions reduction, tackling process emissions is fundamental. R&D into materials substitution and product adaptation is a key area to helping reduce residual emissions from ceramic production by 2050.

Residual Emissions

Individual companies / sites in the sector each have their own decarbonisation plans, and for whom achieving ‘net zero’ emissions may be plausible. Nevertheless, we want to be transparent in what we see as being the overall deliverability in sector decarbonisation which it can attain directly.

Even with decarbonised electricity, ambitious energy-efficiency, low-carbon fuel-switching for all sites, and carbon capture for whom it could be more-viable, our modelling demonstrates that achieving ‘net zero’ ceramic manufacturing will not be directly attainable. For sectors like UK ceramics, Government’s broader policy-making must utilise additional tools / measures, including:

• Carbon offsetting mechanisms and schemes (carried out by companies directly / indirectly)

• Recognising carbon neutrality across the value-chain over product lifecycle.

Whilst decarbonising ceramic manufacturing (and mitigating residual emissions) are a focus, consideration should also be given to the operational use of a product (beyond the factory gate); including their lifespan, downstream emission savings, requiring minimal maintenance and with a high resistance to challenging environmental conditions.