Have you ever considered the carbon footprint of your household?
No - I'm not talking about whether you're solar-powered, or if you use your air-con too much. I'm talking about the bricks and mortar of your house. How was it made?
How much thought have you given to how the things around us were manufactured?
Did you know that, if the cement industry was a country, it would be the third biggest emitter in the world, after China and the US. That's 8% of global emissions, and about the same as the total global vehicle emissions. Amazing, right?! I guess the decarbonisation of cement is not as trendy as owning the newest electric vehicle...
To bring the manufacturing sector in line with the Paris Agreement, annual emissions must drop by at least 16% by 2030.
However, rapid urbanisation in some parts of the world has increased the demand for products such as cement and steel. If production continues on its current trajectory, carbon emissions from the manufacturing industry are set to rise upwards of 10% of the world's total in the next 25 years.
Right, well. We're not about to stop living in houses anytime soon (probably). So, where can we make changes to cut down emissions-levels from the manufacturing sector?
Electrified manufacturing processes are the way to go! Given we have so many options for alternative electricity sources, such as solar power and hydrocarbon, by electrifying the manufacturing processes using alternative energy sources, we should be able to decarbonise the production of these materials. (I spoke a bit more about energy alternatives here!)
Renewable energy is likely to power over half of the world's electricity by 2035. This means the cost of renewable energy is very likely to drop, and become a more financially and environmentally viable option for manufacturing plants.
The challenge here is that mining sites and cement plants are highly reliant on reliable and stable energy supplies. If an energy supply to the plant is interrupted, manufacturing processes usually have to be restarted, which causes excess carbon emissions and a loss of productivity. A stable and affordable renewable energy source is required to ensure maximum efficiency of production.
The manufacturing industry plays a significant role in current carbon emissions conversations. Often, it flies under the radar in favour of conversations about vehicle emissions, but finding ways to electrify cement and steel production is just as necessary as transitioning to a global fleet of electric cars.
As consumers, we need to consider our impact as customers. Supporting and encouraging more carbon-friendly manufacturers is a great place to start. Look for companies that have committed to low-emissions targets, and/or have invested in sustainable manufacturing processes.
References
https://bze.org.au/research_release/rethinking-cement/
https://foresightdk.com/electrification-is-driving-sustainability-in-cement-and-mining/
