Fives and NOC Energy Partner on Electrified Heat Technology for Clay Calcination

Why It Matters

The partnership showcases a viable pathway to slash cement‑sector emissions, helping the industry meet tightening climate goals while addressing limited availability of traditional supplementary cementitious materials.

Key Takeaways

• 10 MW NOC Cell can cut 20,000 t CO₂ annually
• Thermal battery stores heat, offsets renewable intermittency
• Pilot focuses on clay calcination, a growing SCM route
• Technology may expand to fly‑ash, slag, and rotary kilns
• Schneider Electric backs electrification and digital control

Pulse Analysis

Cement remains one of the most carbon‑intensive industrial sectors, accounting for roughly 8% of global CO₂ emissions. As regulators tighten emissions caps and the supply of conventional supplementary cementitious materials like slag and fly ash tightens, manufacturers are racing to adopt low‑clinker alternatives. Electrified heat, especially when sourced from renewables, offers a promising route to decarbonise the high‑temperature processes that drive clinker formation, but the challenge has been delivering reliable, on‑demand thermal energy without relying on fossil fuels.

NOC Energy’s thermal‑battery concept addresses that gap by converting surplus renewable electricity into stored heat that can be released at temperatures up to 1,500 °C. Compared with lithium‑ion solutions, the NOC Cell™ boasts up to seven times higher energy density and markedly lower storage costs, making it economically attractive for heavy‑industry use. In the Fives pilot, the 10 MW module will be integrated into a clay‑calcination line, a process gaining traction as a scalable source of supplementary cementitious material. Schneider Electric’s involvement ensures the system is seamlessly managed through advanced automation and digital monitoring, mitigating the intermittency of renewable inputs.

If the trial validates the claimed emissions reductions and operational reliability, the technology could be rolled out across the broader cement value chain, from fly‑ash and slag processing to full‑scale rotary kilns. Such scalability would not only help cement producers meet net‑zero targets but also create a new market for high‑temperature thermal storage solutions. Investors and equipment manufacturers are likely to watch the outcomes closely, as successful deployment could accelerate the shift toward electrified, low‑carbon cement production worldwide.