CEMEX backs gasification startup WtEnergy to cut cement's carbon footprint
What's the deal? CEMEXDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and its corporate venture arm, CEMEX VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, have invested in Waste to Energy Advanced Solutions (WtEnergy)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a Spanish cleantech startup that turns solid waste into synthesis gas. Founded in 2017, WtEnergyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → converts biomass and non-recyclable waste into a lower-carbon energy source.
What's the endgame? CEMEX plans to feed the gas into its clinker and cement manufacturing, replacing fossil fuels. The company aims to lift its fossil fuel substitution rate by 20 percentage points by 2030.
Why now? Alternative fuels are a central lever in CEMEX's 2030 decarbonisation roadmap, which the Science-Based Targets initiative has validated against its 1.5ºC scenario. The investment sits within the company's Future in Action program to reach net-zero CO2.
WtEnergy's process can serve as a short-term fossil fuel alternative and be upgraded later to biomethane or pure hydrogen. Founders Andrés Ponce and Antonio Crous bring technical and commercial experience in gasification and clean energy.
CEMEX has mapped out where the technology goes first. "We have outlined an ambitious rollout strategy across multiple operations, starting with Spain and other European countries before expanding to other international markets," said Gonzalo Galindo, head of CEMEX Ventures.
The signal: Cement is one of the hardest industries to decarbonise, and heavy emitters are increasingly turning to corporate venture bets to source cleaner inputs. By backing waste-to-energy at the startup stage, CEMEX signals that circular-economy fuels are moving from experiment to strategy.
Read more: cemex.com
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
