27.05.2026
Opinion
CBAM Carbon Price Adjustment Rules: Feedback by VDZ (German Cement Works Association)
VDZ welcomes the opportunity to provide brief feedback on the European Commission’s proposal of an Implementing Regulation regarding the conversion of third-country carbon prices into a corresponding reduction of CBAM certificates to be surrendered (Ares(2026)4841230 as of 13 May 2026). In the view of VDZ, the proposal contains several important elements that can contribute to a fair and workable application. However, several provisions risk creating distortions between EU and non-EU producers and may unintentionally open new avenues for circumvention. Preserving a genuine level playing field with the EU ETS must therefore remain the guiding principle throughout the Regulation. Further details can be found in the following PDF file.
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05.05.2026
Press release
Dr Dirk Spenner elected as new VDZ president
On 5 May 2026, the General Assembly of the German Cement Works Association (VDZ) elected Dr Dirk Spenner as its new president. He succeeds Christian Knell (Heidelberg Materials) who has held the post for nine years. At the same time, the VDZ Executive Board has set the course for the succession in the management team: Dr Martin Schneider will retire at the end of October this year. From that point on, Manuel Mohr as Chief Executive and Dr Jörg Rickert as Chief Technical Officer will steer VDZ’s fortunes together with the President and the VDZ Board.
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17.03.2026
Opinion
Reform of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme: The cement industry’s positions
The cement industry in Germany supports European and national climate neutrality targets and is committed to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme as a key, market-based and proven instrument. A reliable CO₂ price signal is and remains the key to investment decisions in industrial CO₂ capture facilities, which represent the core decarbonisation technologies for the sector. You can find out more in the PDF file below.
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24.03.2025
News
Synergies in the integration of CO₂ capture systems on several production lines
Achieving climate neutrality in the cement and lime industries poses a particular challenge, given that the majority of CO₂ emissions are caused by raw material-related emissions from the decomposition of limestone. The capture and storage of CO₂ (carbon capture and storage, CCS) is therefore pivotal in enabling these industries to achieve climate neutrality. The selection of a suitable capture technology is contingent on site and plant-specific conditions. In many cases, multiple production lines or products exist which generate substantial CO₂ emissions.
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04.02.2025
Press release
VDZ introduces a new CO₂ label for cement
In 2024, the German cement industry together with other stakeholders developed a definition of ‘green cements’ as part of a stakeholder process organised by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), which sets thresholds for climate-friendly products. “However, the definition alone does not create demand. That's why VDZ has introduced a voluntary CO₂ label that makes the CO₂ footprint of products on the market easily recognisable and comparable in order to promote the use of green cements”, explains Christian Knell, President of the German Cement Works Association (VDZ). ”The new VDZ label is called Cement Carbon Class (CCC) and can be referred to in tenders so that the use of CO₂ reduced cements becomes standard in the construction sector”, Knell emphasises. The public sector is particularly interested in this when it comes to procurement – but private construction projects can also benefit from low-emission cements and concretes, for example in terms of sustainability certification or the granting of subsidies.
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06.11.2024
Press release
Shaping the transformation together – 9ᵗʰ International VDZ Congress opens
This afternoon, Christian Knell, President of the German Cement Works Association (VDZ), officially opened the 9ᵗʰ International VDZ Congress with over 600 participants in Düsseldorf: ”The cement and concrete industry is probably undergoing its biggest transformation ever. Step by step, we are decarbonising our value chain”, emphasised the VDZ President. “There is no alternative, we must deliver a net-zero cement and concrete value chain and we will deliver if we get the right framework conditions and the support of governments and society”. The VDZ Congress is the international scientific forum for the cement industry and its suppliers, addressing key challenges and developments to the sector. This year's focus is on shaping the transformation together, e.g. in the fields of carbon capture (CCUS), process technology, digitalisation and binder technology.
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01.10.2024
News
VDZ's environmental data 2023 published
In keeping with its established tradition, this year VDZ is once again providing a comprehensive overview of production and structural data, raw material and energy requirements and the current emissions of German cement manufacturers in this year's edition of the ‘Environmental data of the German cement industry’. In this way, the environmental data also illustrate how the cement industry is making progress in decarbonising cement production and conserving natural resources.
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26.07.2024
Opinion
VDZ statement on the draft implementing regulation updating the Monitoring and Reporting Regulation (MRR) in response to the revision of the European Emissions trading system (EU ETS)
In the context of the “Fit for 55” package of EU legislation, the ETS Directive has been revised with the EU target set out in the European Climate Law to reduce net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Following this revision, the European Commission needs to update several regulatory acts for the implementation of the EU ETS. More on this in the following PDF file.
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19.06.2024
Press release
Requirements for a CO₂ infrastructure in Germany
Due to the high proportion of unavoidable CO₂ emissions, there is no way around CO₂ capture, storage and utilisation when it comes to decarbonising the cement and lime industries and waste incineration. ”The development of a CO₂ infrastructure in Germany is essential for these industries”, says Christian Knell, President of the German Cement Works Association (VDZ). And time is pressing: Cement manufacturers and other industries in the EU emissions trading scheme must produce their products in a largely climate-neutral way by 2040. “To achieve this, companies need a CO₂ pipeline network by 2035 at the latest”, continues Knell. In a study, VDZ has analysed what a German CO₂ pipeline network could look like and what the requirements are for the CO₂ infrastructure. In order to make the results of the study accessible to an international audience, an English summary is now also available.
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09.04.2024
News
Partial oxyfuel - Separate calcination of raw meal to concentrate CO₂ in the exhaust gas
The capture of CO₂ and its subsequent use and storage are key elements of the cement industry's decarbonisation strategy. The separation of CO₂ from waste gas is an energy-intensive and complex process. This process can be made simpler and more efficient by achieving the highest possible CO₂ concentration in the flue gas. If the calcination of the raw meal is separated from the actual clinker burning process, this considerably facilitates the concentration of CO₂ in the flue gas and reduces the "contamination" of the CO₂ with (false) air.
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