Coimbra, Portugal, May 29, 2025 (Lusa) - The Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality in the Ceramic Industry by 2050, which was presented today, proposes ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality in the Ceramic Industry was unveiled by the Ceramic and Glass Technology Centre (CTCV) and the Portuguese Association of Ceramic and Glass Industries (Apicer) during the final event of the CeramicLowCO2 project.
"We believe that the roadmap presented on Thursday is the result of a joint and multidisciplinary effort by the CTCV, Apicer and various experts, and represents a real commitment to the sustainability and competitiveness of Portuguese ceramics," said Inês Rondão, head of Innovation & Development at the CTCV.
According to CTCV, which is based in Coimbra, the roadmap is a strategic document that outlines "a clear action plan for the decarbonisation of one of the most important and traditional industrial sectors of the Portuguese economy".
The modernisation of production processes to achieve greater energy efficiency, the progressive replacement of fossil fuels with renewable gases, the electrification of industrial equipment and the integration of renewable energy sources are among the main pillars of the strategy.
"The roadmap also promotes the valorisation of biomass, eco-design, the adoption of circular economy practices, the application of digital technologies such as digital twins, artificial intelligence and real-time data analysis, as well as the training of people as an accelerator of decarbonisation," it added.
In addition to setting out a way forward, the document includes a cost-benefit analysis of the various solutions proposed. Factors such as "the price of renewable electricity, the availability of technologies, the carbon market and the incentives provided" were taken into account.
It also highlights "the investments needed to enable companies in the sector, most of which are small and medium-sized, to implement the measures promptly".
The CTCV stressed that, "with a strong focus on foreign markets, the national ceramics industry faces the challenge of maintaining its economic relevance while seeking to reduce its emissions drastically".
"The roadmap now released is intended to be a compass for this transition, focusing on innovation, cooperation and the qualification of human resources as the foundations for a cleaner, more modern and resilient sector," it stressed.
The CTCV recalled that the presentation of the roadmap, whose panel brought together more than 25 national and international experts, marked the conclusion of "an extensive process of diagnosis, technical consultation and capacity building in the sector".
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