Knergy brings together the Turkish cement industry in Ankara: hydrogen and oxygen as a shield against CBAM

Ankara, Türkiye — August 18, 2026. Under the theme "Hydrogen & Oxygen to make your pyroprocess profitable", Knergy Energía Sustentable held its Technical Symposium at the Limak Ambassadore Hotel in Ankara (Limra 1 Hall), an invitation-only gathering that brought together representatives from Türkiye's leading cement groups. The event was part of Knergy's commercial tour of Türkiye and Pakistan, and was preceded, on August 17, by a private technical consultation with one of the country's leading cement groups.

A delegation with more than a century of accumulated experience in cement

Knergy's delegation was led by Ángel Vázquez Moreno, CEO and founder, accompanied by Emiliano Quiroga, COO and co-founder, a pyroprocess specialist with more than 37 years of experience —including his time as technology leader at CEMEX and in the design of the calciner for the Buñol white cement line, the most efficient of its kind in the world—, and by Cassio Da Silva, Regional Director, with 35 years of experience at LAFARGE. The team's central message was unequivocal: Knergy does not sell electrolyzers, it delivers an integration solution designed exclusively for the cement pyroprocess.

The presentations: six profitability levers and a safety architecture with no black boxes

The technical program addressed the pillars that define the proposal of the Hydrobooster ALK alkaline electrolysis system:

1. Reduction of specific thermal consumption. The stoichiometric injection of H₂/O₂ improves the combustion kinetics of the primary and secondary fuel, with reductions of 30 to 70 kcal/kg of clinker depending on the kiln's prior degree of optimization.

2. Compatibility with high-sulfur petcoke. The catalytic effect of the flame cleans the preheater tower and prevents sulfur-induced buildups, enabling the use of more economical fuels without sacrificing operational stability.

3. Higher alternative fuel rate (TSR). Increased thermal substitution with no loss of production, a highly relevant issue for Turkish plants seeking to reduce their dependence on imported fuel.

4. Increased production and clinker reactivity. Better combustion allows production to be raised and the clinker factor to be reduced, multiplying tons of cement with the same clinker.

5. Direct reduction of CO₂. Prioritizing hydrogen in the calciner is designed plant by plant, with CFD simulation included at no cost to define the optimal injection points — a pre-sale analysis that the competition does not offer.

6. Guaranteed 24/7 operation. With 96% annual uptime, a five-barrier safety architecture certified under ATEX, ISO 16852 and IEC 62061, and full technology transfer to plant personnel: no black-box dependencies and with mostly locally sourced spare parts.

CBAM: why Türkiye cannot wait

The most resonant segment was the analysis of the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), whose definitive phase came into force in January 2026. For Türkiye, one of the largest exporters of cement and clinker to the European market, the implications are immediate:

• Exporters who do not report verified emissions are subject to the punitive default value (~1.584 tCO₂/t of clinker), well above typical actual emissions (~0.88 tCO₂/t).
• With the EU ETS price, the cost of the CBAM certificate under default values can exceed the FOB price of the cement itself, completely erasing the export margin.
• Every kilogram of CO₂ reduced in the pyroprocess ceases to be an environmental aspiration and becomes direct protection of the export margin.

In this context, Knergy's technology was presented not as a sustainability project, but as a competitiveness tool: reducing specific thermal consumption and CO₂ emissions today means exporting to Europe tomorrow with cheaper certificates, verifiable emissions and protected margins. Producers who get ahead of the legislation —both the European CBAM and the carbon pricing schemes that Türkiye is evaluating to align with its own emissions trading system— will reach the next decade with a structural advantage over those who react late.

Next steps

Knergy will follow up individually with the participating cement groups, offering technical feasibility studies at no cost, CFD simulations available per plant, and customized savings scenarios. The tour continues in Pakistan, where the company is advancing in closing processes with leading producers in that market.

Knergy Energía Sustentable — Shaping the next generation of cement. Driven by Hydrogen & Oxygen. *More information: LinkedIn Knergy · www.knergy.com*