A tour of GCC of America’s cement plant in Pueblo, Colorado, rounds out the final day of the IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Conference. GCC’s Pueblo plant is committed to the PCA Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality and is lowering its clinker factor by producing 100% portland-limestone (Type IL) cement, as of 2023. Plants such as GCC’s Pueblo location can immediately reduce their carbon footprint by up to 10% by producing lower-carbon portland-limestone cement.

 

Commissioned in 2008 on a greenfield site, GCC’s Pueblo plant is one of the younger cement plants in the United States and utilizes advanced technology in its manufacturing processes. In its 16-year history, the plant has undergone numerous upgrades, including its control technology and an alternative fuels system that assists the plant in its path toward net zero emissions. It is one of GCC’s most advanced plants with respect to emissions per ton of cement, and GCC is continuously looking to push this number lower to meet SBTi targets.

 

The plant’s alternative fuels system allows the utilization of non-recyclable, energy-containing materials as fuel – materials that would otherwise remain unused. GCC’s Pueblo plant utilizes a variety of materials to achieve a blend of alternative fuels, including most recently biomass such as sorghum seeds, spent rail ties, and waste tires.

 

According to PCA’s 2022 Plant Information Summary, GCC’s Pueblo plant has a clinker capacity of 942,000 tons per year. It is a dry process plant with a precalciner and maintains a grinding capacity of approximately 959,000 tons per year. It has won numerous EPA ENERGY STAR awards, including recognition as the No.1-lowest energy usage per ton for any cement plant in 2019.

 

The Pueblo plant tour on Thursday, May 2, will depart Denver at approximately 8 a.m., returning at approximately 5 p.m. The tour is a $25 additional option available during the badge registration process. For more information, email conference@cement.org.