Italy-based Turboden S.p.A., a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group company and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology specialist, has announced the successful start-up of a 13 MWe ORC Waste-Heat-to-Power (WHP) plant at the Riyadh Cement Company, currently the largest ORC installed in a cement plant worldwide.
Founded in 1997, Riyadh Cement Company is a prominent cement producer in Saudi Arabia and is recognized for its production of grey and white cement and for its strong commitment to sustainability and operational excellence.
According to Turboden, this latest installation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia KSA) is the largest ORC system ever commissioned in a cement plant globally and the first Turoben ORC plant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
Riyadh Cement Company’s objective was clear: reduce its carbon dioxide (CO2) footprint without increasing on-site water consumption, while recovering valuable heat otherwise dissipated into the environment.
The successful commissioning of this project at Riyadh Cement marks an important milestone not only for Turboden, but for the entire cement industry. What makes this project particularly significant is its ability to generate substantial amounts of clean electricity without consuming water, a key advantage in regions facing increasing pressure on natural resources. We are proud to support Riyadh Cement in its sustainability journey and to contribute to Saudi Arabia’s industrial energy transition with a solution that delivers both environmental and economic value said Paolo Bertuzzi, Managing Director and CEO of Turboden.
Proven technology
Turboden’s extensive cement sector portfolio includes references with top international companies such as Holcim Group, CRH Group, Heidelberg Materials, Cimpor (Taiwan Cement Corporation), Çimsa (Sabancı Holding) and Colacem.
According to the company, these successful projects, often through EPC partners and energy service providers, demonstrate the trust global cement leaders place in Turboden’s proven technology and expertise.
This trust continues also during the life of the project, considering that almost all the customers maintain an LTSA contract with Turboden for the life of the plant.
Water-free solution
Riyadh Cement Company’s objective was to reduce its carbon dioxide (CO2) footprint without increasing on-site water consumption, while recovering valuable heat otherwise dissipated into the environment.
Turboden addressed this challenge by delivering a 13 MWe ORC unit equipped with an Air-Cooled Condenser (ACC) and using cyclopentane as the working fluid.
The system is connected to six Waste-Heat-to-Power (WHP) units installed on two cement kiln lines.
A single thermal oil loop collects and transfers the heat to the ORC unit, which converts unused thermal energy into clean electricity without consuming water, making it suited for arid climates.
The plant was engineered to comply with new local regulations and to operate reliably under extreme ambient temperatures typical of desert environments.
Tangible impacts
The WHP plant can potentially generate nearly 80 GWh of electricity per year, covering a significant share of the facility’s internal power demand, contributing to Saudi Vision 2030 decarbonization objectives with an estimated c. 37,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions avoided annually.
Reduced exposure to energy price volatility through on-site power generation
By transforming waste heat into clean power, the system delivers immediate Scope 1 emission reductions while enhancing plant efficiency and competitiveness.
A cement industry milestone
The global cement industry faces the dual challenge of meeting growing demand while drastically lowering CO2 emissions. Despite widespread Net Zero commitments, cement production remains carbon-intensive. Immediate, scalable efficiency improvements are essential.
Waste-Heat-to-Power based on ORC technology is one of the most effective levers available today, enabling cement plants to convert untapped thermal energy into clean electricity, often covering up to 30 percent of their power needs.
With this landmark project, Turboden not only consolidates its global leadership in the cement sector but also demonstrates to the Middle East market that ORC technology is a reliable, bankable, and water-free solution capable of delivering large-scale decarbonization in real industrial conditions.
Several other major Saudi cement producers are considering following RCC’s example.
