African Cement Makers Explore Renewable Energy

Across Africa, cement producers are exploring cleaner power solutions to cut costs, reduce emissions, and boost energy security. Many say that renewables, like solar, wind, and biomass, may be a smart path forward — though serious challenges remain.

The Push for Greener Power

In Ethiopia, the government is pushing heavy industries to meet 50 % of their energy needs from renewable sources. But some in the cement industry are asking: Is it really attractive to shift now, given the costs and infrastructure gaps? 

One example: the Lemi Cement plant in Ethiopia. This new facility has built a dedicated 20 MW power supply (at a cost of US$ 25 million) just to support its production lines. Meanwhile, Dangote Cement’s Mugher plant, also in Ethiopia, plans to add a second line — it already has had issues with grid reliability and has even bought a diesel generator for backup. 

Ethiopia’s Chemical and Construction Inputs Development Institute (CCIIDI) ran a study on replacing coal with biomass. It found big savings. If producers replaced 40 % of their coal with biomass, they could save up to US$ 88 million a year. 

Lessons from Sub-Saharan Africa

In parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, access to natural gas or heavy fuel oil is limited. Grid electricity is often unreliable or expensive. 

So many cement firms are going with independent power producers (IPPs), captive power plants, or using diesel backup.

Some success stories:

• In Kenya, Mombasa Cement chose a 36 MW wind farm by Vestas for its Kilifi plant.
• At Mombasa’s Vipingo plant, a solar farm (10 MW) was added in 2025.
• Devki Cement (Kenya) is installing a 60 MW wind farm for its West Pokot plant.

In South Africa, PPC made a big move. It signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Yellow Door Energy. A 24.5 MW solar farm (Naledi Ya TDE Solar Park) will supply clean energy to four PPC plants.

To connect the solar farm to the grid, PPC had to build a 43 km overhead line to reach an Eskom substation. The wind project is expected to produce 57.5 GWh in its first year.

North Africa’s Solar Push

In Egypt, renewable energy is already gaining ground in the cement sector.

• Misr Beni Suef Cement is getting a 17.5 MW solar plant from Jinko Solar.
• Misr Cement invested EGP 1.5 billion (≈ US$ 31.8 million) for a 40 MW PV solar project, expected to generate 48 GWh a year.
• Arabian Cement signed a 30-year PPA in 2025 for a 17.6 MW solar plant, producing ~32.5 GWh annually.
• Cemex Egypt took a different route: it is converting municipal waste into energy to power its Assiut cement plant. The system is estimated to cut CO₂ emissions by ~32 kg per tonne of cement, or about 290,000 tpa (tonnes per annum).

Why Cement Makers Are Watching Renewables

Here are key reasons companies are considering renewables:

• Lower long-term cost: After initial capital, solar or wind power can reduce fuel costs.
• Energy security: Less dependence on fuel imports or unstable grid supply.
• Environmental goals: Pressure from regulators, investors, and society to cut emissions.

Yet there are strong barriers:

Outlook: A Gradual Shift

The trend toward renewables in Africa’s cement industry is underway. But the pace may be slower than some expect. 

In many cases, hybrid systems will prevail  combining grid power, renewables, and backup sources to ensure constant supply. Investments will often depend on government incentives, international funding, and improving local infrastructure.

One thing is clear: cement makers are no longer waiting. Even in tough power markets, they are testing, piloting, and in some regions, fully deploying renewable solutions trying to build a more sustainable future for heavy industry in Africa.