SaltX Technology and Holcim have, within the framework of their joint development collaboration, successfully and repeatedly produced Portland-quality cement clinker using a fully electrified, scalable process. Cement raw meal from Holcim was calcined at an industrial scale and then sintered using SaltX newly developed clinker-electrification technology. The results meet established material quality requirements and confirm a proof of concept for fully electrified cement production.
The calcination was performed at SaltX’s test and research center in Hofors, Sweden. The calcined material from the ongoing industrial test program was then processed in SaltX’s newly developed Electric Clinker Reactor (ECR), eliminating the need for a conventional fossil-fueled rotary kiln. The result is Portland-quality cement clinker produced entirely with electricity, demonstrating a fundamentally new approach to cement production.
The sintering step requires higher temperatures than calcination and is one of the most technically demanding parts of cement production, making it a key challenge in the transition to fossil-free cement. The tests demonstrate that this step can also be fully electrified. Combined with a compact system design and a different reactor type, electrification enables a more flexible and efficient production process. This builds on SaltX experience in electrified calcination, where the underlying technology has already been validated at scale.
Lina Jorheden, CEO of SaltX Technology:
“This marks a major step forward in demonstrating that a fully electrified cement process is not only possible but can be implemented in an industrial setting. Electrifying both calcination and sintering is key to enabling this shift, and the results demonstrate a new approach to cement production.”
Holcim welcomes the progress made and confirms that the produced cement clinker meets industrial standards.
Bengt Steinbrecher, Head of Holcim MAQER Ventures:
“SaltX demonstrated that their electrification solution is able to produce clinker of Portland quality. This is a strong validation of their technology and an important step on the industrial scale-up roadmap for future cement production.”
The results mark a key step toward the planned pilot plant. SaltX will provide further updates about the two companies’ joint development as the project progresses.
