Decoupling environmental impacts from the energy-intensive production of cement: the case of Aalborg Portland

Through the case of Aalborg Portland, this dissertation explores opportunities for an energy-intensive industry in Denmark to decouple its operations from the use of non-renewable resources and direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and thereby sets emission-reduction targets for 2030. Guidelines are provided to reach those emission-reduction targets through the use and distribution of by-products while keeping environmental impacts beyond the factory gates to a minimum. Findings show that using by-products within cement production and optimizing the distribution of excess heat is an effective way to reduce process and fuel emissions. However, this should be done with a good understanding of the markets. Because the availability of a by-product cannot adjust to the demand for it and because competition for good alternatives to virgin resources has increased, attention must be paid to reduce environmental impacts beyond the factory gates that may occur by way of demand displacement. Besides the use and distribution of by-products, increasing cement strength and investing in renewable energy also provide a significant reduction in GHG emissions.
More generally, this dissertation reflects on the role of life cycle assessment to support energy-intensive industries as they are pressed to find alternatives to the use of non-renewable resources.