The Hon Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Climate Change and Energy
The Hon Stephen Jones King MP, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Finance
The Albanese Government is building Australia's future by supporting local industry to adopt new technologies that lower emissions and keep their businesses thriving.
As part of our $1.9 billion Powering the Region's Fund, we're delivering a $24.5 million investment to help Boral lower its emissions at their Berrima facility, while supporting sites like the Marulan Limestone Mine.
This will see the largest cement supplier in New South Wales improve what clinker is made from - using new alternative lower emissions raw materials such as steel slag, which has the added benefit of diverting 245,000 tonnes of waste from landfill annually. Clinker is the pebble-like substance produced as part of the cement manufacturing process.
The project will deliver an annual emissions savings of around 100,000 tonnes - equivalent to removing approximately 30,000 passenger cars from the road every year.
Adoption and roll out of the new clinker process shows new ways of optimising the manufacturing processes.
Boral Cement's Berrima facility is NSW's only integrated cement manufacturing facility, responsible for over 60 percent of the state's cement supply, and a major employer in the Southern Highlands. It has been operating for almost 100 years.
The $24.5 million grant to is part of the third batch of round one of the Powering the Regions Fund's $600 million Safeguard Transformation Stream, which aims to decarbonise Australia's heavy industries covered by the Safeguard Mechanism.
Comments from the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen:
"This new investment means Boral can continue to make cement while showing their consumers, their investors and their workers that they can reduce emissions and keep on supplying New South Wales the cement it needs.
"Our Safeguard reforms have provided the certainty industry needs to keeping on investing and a clearer pathway to decarbonisation.
"It's a great example of the Albanese Government working with industry to build Australia's future and stay competitive."
Comments from the Member for Whitlam, Hon Stephen Jones MP:
"The Albanese Government is delivering on our commitment to our region-supporting local workers, local businesses, and local solutions to climate change. I am pleased to see the Southern Highlands region getting the investment it deserves.
"This is a big win for local jobs and for our environment. Boral's Berrima facility is a cornerstone of the Southern Highlands economy, and this investment helps secure its future."
