New Energy Performance Indicator for Cement Plants

Even with flyash and other cement-reducing additives, portland cement is still required to make concrete for most projects. But now there might be a way to specify that the cement comes from a relatively efficient plant. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a program to help increase the energy efficiency of cement plants and recognize the most efficient among them. The Energy Performance Indicator (EPI) for cement plants includes a spreadsheet that computes the efficiency of a facility based on the type and amount of energy it uses and the amount of cement it produces. The tool then compares the plant’s efficiency to the national average. EPA classifies plants that score in the top 25% as “energy efficient.” The EPI for cement plants was created with technical support from Argonne National Laboratory and the Portland Cement Association.