CEMEX Expands Use of Renewable Diesel at California Operations with Neste

(CEMEX) CEMEX announced today it continues to expand its use of low carbon alternative fuels at several of its California operations, utilizing renewable diesel to power trucks and machinery as part of its global Future in Action program aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions throughout its operations and supply chain.

“At CEMEX, we have ambitious goals to reduce our CO₂ emissions across our value chain, and alternative fuels are key to helping us reach our sustainability goals,” said CEMEX USA President Jaime Muguiro. “Renewable diesel allows us to make a positive change for the environment almost immediately, contributing to a circular economy by using a product made from waste streams.”

CEMEX USA began using renewable diesel, produced by Neste and supplied by Western States Oil, in its ready-mix concrete mixer trucks in the Bay Area in 2018 during a pilot program. In the last few years, the initiative has expanded to include heavy machinery and off-road vehicles at CEMEX USA’s Eliot and Cache Creek quarries along with its aggregates terminal in Redwood City and 14 ready mix plants in Northern California. In Southern California, renewable diesel is being utilized at 11 ready mix plants, three quarries and in heavy equipment at the cement plant in Apple Valley.

CEMEX’s vehicles running on Neste MY Renewable Diesel emit up to 75% less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the life cycle compared to fossil diesel. Since the start of the program, CEMEX USA has prevented more than 33,000 tons of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere - roughly the same climate benefit as making more than 7,000 passenger cars zero-emission.

“Decarbonizing within the heavy building materials industry is tough, partly because it depends on really big equipment powered by big engines, which is why the combination of advanced diesel engines and renewable diesel is one of the best solutions today,” said Carrie Song, Neste’s Vice President for Renewable Road Transport in North America. “We look forward to helping CEMEX as it works to transition its heavy-duty vehicles and equipment toward zero emissions by powering more of their equipment with renewable diesel.”

Neste MY Renewable Diesel is TOP TIER certified. No modifications to CEMEX’s trucks and machinery were needed to switch to renewable diesel, enabling CEMEX to immediately and directly reduce GHG emissions from its operations in California practically overnight and with no extra cost.

In 2021, CEMEX updated its global sustainability targets, committing to provide net zero CO₂ concrete by 2050 with interim goals to reduce CO₂ emissions in its cement business by 40% and in concrete by 35% by 2030. The company is also a founding member of the First Movers Coalition, an initiative that unites more than two dozen companies to drive innovation for decarbonization.

Neste in brief
Neste (NESTE, Nasdaq Helsinki) creates solutions for combating climate change and accelerating a shift to a circular economy. We refine waste, residues and innovative raw materials into renewable fuels and sustainable feedstock for plastics and other materials. We are the world’s leading producer of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel, developing chemical recycling to combat the plastic waste challenge. We aim at helping customers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with our renewable and circular solutions by at least 20 million tons annually by 2030. As a technologically advanced refiner of high-quality oil products with a commitment to reach carbon-neutral production by 2035, we are also introducing renewable and recycled raw materials such as waste plastic as refinery raw materials. We have consistently been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices and the Global 100 list of the world’s most sustainable companies. In 2020, Neste's revenue stood at EUR 11.8 billion, with 94% of the company’s comparable operating profit coming from renewable products. Read more: neste.com READ MORE