Prizes And Awards
Environmental Technology Award for Celitement
The environmentally friendly cement Celitement®, that has been developed at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), was awarded the Environmental Technology Special Award Baden-Württemberg.
Every year, cement plants emit some three billion tonnes of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide – about five to seven per cent of the world-wide CO2 emissions. In other words, the production of cement emits three to four times the amount of CO2 the entire aviation industry produces. Compared to traditional methods of cement production, the new cement promises to save considerable amounts of energy and is estimated to halve the CO2 emissions. Moreover, Celitement® is resource friendly, since only a third of the usual amount of limestone is required when compared to conventional Portland cement and gypsum as an additive is not required at all.
Initially, the scientists at the KIT produced Celitement® on laboratory scale. After more than one year of intensive testing, the Celitement GmbH constructed a pilot plant with an investment volume of five million Euro on the KIT's Campus North in the past year. As of autumn 2011, this pilot plant will supply 100 kilogrammes Celitement® per day. Every two years, the Environmental Technology Award is granted in four categories by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry für the Environment, Climate and Energy Industry to honour outstanding and innovative environmental technology products. The special jury award is focused on current environmental policy challenges.
