Glossary and Abbreviations
Glossary
Please see the WBCSD / WRI GHG Protocol and the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories for an extended glossary.
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Absolute GHG emissions are expressed as a mass stream, for example in tonnes of CO2 per year (t CO2/yr).
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Additional raw materials, e.g. added directly to the calciner or kiln inlet, which are not part of the kiln feed, which is normally a homogenized mass flow fed to a pre-heater system.
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Alternative fuels
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A GHG allowance is a commodity giving its holder the right to emit a certain quantity of GHG. [GHG allowances are typically allocated by a regulator to the emitters covered by a cap and trade system. Definition taken from: revised WBCSD / WRI GHG Protocol (2004)
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Fuel materials or products used as a source of thermal energy and not classified as traditional fuel. In the cement industry wastes such as plastics, solvents, waste oil, end-of-life tyres, etc. and different types of mixed or pure biomass fuels are used.
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Annex I to the UNFCCC lists the developed country Parties which have special responsibilities in meeting the objective of the Convention. They include the OECD countries (excl. Mexico and Korea), the countries of Eastern Europe, Russia, and the European Union. Under the Kyoto Protocol, Annex I Parties have accepted quantified emissions limitation or reduction commitments for the period 2008-12. See http://unfccc.int/parties_and_observers/items/2704.php for further information
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Additional raw materials
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Reference emission level. The term is used with different meanings in different contexts. It can denote:- the historical emission level of an entity in a reference year,- the projected future emission level of an entity if no extra mitigation measures are taken (business-as-usual scenario),- the hypothetical emission level against which the climate benefits of GHG reduction projects are calculated.
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Carbon derived from biogenic (plant or animal) sources excluding fossil carbon. Note that peat is treated as a fossil carbon in these guidelines as it takes so long to replace harvested peat. Definition taken from: Glossary of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
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Organic matter consisting of or recently derived from living organisms (especially regarded as fuel) excluding peat. Includes products, by-products and waste derived from such material. Definition taken from: Glossary of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
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Discarded dust from the bypass system dedusting unit of suspension preheater, precalciner and grate preheater kilns, normally consisting of kiln feed material which is fully calcined or at least calcined to a high degree.
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A system that sets an overall emissions limit, allocates emissions allowances to participants, and allows them to trade allowances and emission credits with each other. Definition taken from: Glossary of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
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A building material made by grinding clinker together with various mineral components such as gypsum, limestone, blast furnace slag, coal fly ash and natural volcanic material. It acts as the binding agent when mixed with sand, gravel or crushed stone and water to make concrete. While cement qualities are defined by national standards, there is no worldwide, harmonised definition or standard for cement. In the "WBCSD - CSI Cement CO2 and Energy Protocol" and the "Getting the Numbers Right" database, both now managed by GCCA, "cement" includes all hydraulic binders that are delivered to the final customer, i.e., including all types of Portland, composite and blended cements, plus ground granulated slag and fly ash delivered to the concrete mixers, but excluding pure clinker.
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Cement (equivalent)
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Cement (equivalent) is a cement production value which is determined from clinker produced on-site applying the plant specific clinker/cement-factor. Hence it is a virtual cement production under the assumption that all clinker produced in a plant is consumed for cement production in the same plant and applying the real plant specific clinker/cement factor.
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Cement kiln dust, relevant for complete CO2 reporting is especially the partly calcined CKD leaving the kiln system, i.e. discarded dust from long dry and wet kiln system dedusting units, consisting of partly calcined kiln feed material (see also "dust return"). The extraction and discarding of CKD and bypass dust serve to control the input of excessive circulating elements (alkali, sulphur, chlorine), particularly in cases of low-alkaline clinker production. The term "CKD" is sometimes used to denote all dust from cement kilns, i.e. also from bypass systems.
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Between 1999 and 2019 the WBCSD CSI was a global effort by 24 major cement producers with operations in more than 100 countries. The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) announced the formation of a strategic partnership with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to facilitate sustainable development of the cement and concrete sectors and their value chains. The new partnership also created synergies between their work programs to benefit both the GCCA and WBCSD, and their respective member companies. As part of the new agreement, the work carried out by the Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) transferred from WBCSD to the GCCA on 1 January 2019, with activities managed out of the GCCA’s London office.
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All clinker produced by the reporting company for cement making or direct clinker sale, plus gypsum, limestone, CKD and all clinker substitutes consumed for blending, plus all cement substitutes. For this denominator, the terms “cementitious products” or “binders” are used, as it is a sum of clinker and mineral components. The denominator excludes clinker bought from third parties for the production of cement, since this clinker is already included in the inventory of the third party.
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Cement kiln dust
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Clinker
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Burning of climate-neutral fuels does not increase the GHG stock in the atmosphere over a relevant time span. CO2 emissions from renewable biomass contained in alternative fuels are climate-neutral because they are compensated by an equivalent absorption by plants.
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Intermediate product in cement manufacturing and the main substance in cement. Clinker is the result of calcination of limestone in the kiln and subsequent reactions caused through burning.
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GHG offsets can be converted into GHG credits when used to meet an externally imposed target. A GHG credit is a convertible and transferable instrument usually bestowed by a GHG program. Defition taken from: revised WBCSD / WRI GHG Protocol (2004)
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Cement Sustainability Initiative
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Direct GHG emissions are emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the reporting entity. Examples include the emissions from cement kilns, company-owned vehicles, quarrying equipment, etc.
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This part of the kiln feed is not consumed for clinker production or to form bypass dust but is transported back by the gas flow (opposite direction to the mass flow) and (firstly) out of the preheater system. It is returned to the dust cycle, which often involves the raw mill and a dust filter system. Relatively small amounts of cement kiln dust (CKD) leaving the kiln system originate from this dust cycle and dust return.
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Emission factor
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Emission factor, here normally CO2 emission factor per mass for materials or per heat for fuels.
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European Emission Trading Scheme
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The CO2 emissions trading scheme of the European Union which started in 2005. The EU ETS covers CO2 emissions from most significant industrial sources. From 2013, other GHG will also be included. For further information see http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/ets/index_en.htm
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Carbon derived from fossil fuel or other fossil source. Definition taken from: Glossary of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
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Global Cement and Concrete Association
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Gross calorific value
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The GNR (“Getting the Numbers Right” or “GCCA in NumbeRs”) is a key tool in how key sustainability progress is monitored and reported. The GNR database is now managed by the GCCA, having transferred at the end of 2018 from the Cement Sustainability Initiative (an initiative run through the World Business Council for Sustainable Development).
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Greenhous gas
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Global Warming Potentials are calculated as the ratio of the radiative forcing of one kilogramme greenhouse gas emitted to the atmosphere to that of one kilogramme CO2 over a period of time (e.g., 100 years).
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Getting the Numbers Right
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The greenhouse gases listed in Annex A of the Kyoto Protocol include: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).
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Gross calorific value (= higher heat value, HHV)
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Total direct CO2 emissions (excluding on-site electricity production) originating from fossil carbon, i.e. excluding CO2 emissions from biomass which are considered climate-neutral. As of Protocol version 3, the CO2 emissions originating from the biogenic carbon content of mixed fuels are not accounted for.
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Global Warming Potentials Definition taken from: Glossary of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
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Higher heat value
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Higher heat value (= gross calorific value, GCV), often in GJ per ton of fuel. The higher heat value includes the latent heat contained in water vapour, which is released when condensing water vapour so that all water is in liquid state. Compare 2006 IPCC Guideline4, Vol. II, Section 1.4.1.2.
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International Energy Agency
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Indirect GHG emissions are emissions that are a consequence of the operations of the reporting company, but occur at sources owned or controlled by another company. Examples include emissions related to purchased electricity, employee travel and product transport in vehicles not owned or controlled by the reporting company, and emissions occurring during the use of products produced by the reporting company.
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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is an international body of scientists. Its role is to assess the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant to the understanding of the risk of human-induced climate change (www.ipcc.ch).
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A quantified list of an organisation's GHG emissions and sources.
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Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
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An industry-used term for a type of measure of performance. KPIs are commonly used by organisations to evaluate their success or the success of a particular activity in which they are engaged.
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Kiln feed
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A tubular heating apparatus used in the production of clinker (2006 IPCC Guidelines "manufacture of cement"). The calcination reaction may take place in the kiln itself, or, where so-equipped, it may partly or completely take place in a preheater and/or precalciner apparatus ahead of the kiln. Definition taken from: Glossary of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
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Raw materials, often processed as raw meal, which are fed to a pre-heater or directly into the kiln system. The kiln feed often contains a certain quantity of recycled dust, which was returned from the pre-heater or kiln system (see also "dust return").
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Fuels fed to the kiln system plus fuels that are used for drying or processing of raw materials for the production of clinker and the preparation of kiln fuels (See Section 3.7)
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Key Performance Indicator
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Lower heat value
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Loss on Ignition
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Loss on Ignition of raw meal
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Loss on Ignition is a test used in inorganic analytical chemistry, particularly in the analysis of minerals. It consists of strongly heating ("igniting") a sample of the material at a specified temperature, allowing volatile substances to escape, until its mass ceases to change.
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Lower heat value (= net calorific value, NCV), often in GJ per ton of fuel. The lower heat value excludes the latent heat contained in water vapour. Compare 2006 IPCC Guideline4, Vol. II, Section 1.4.1.2.
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Mineral components
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Mineral components are natural or artificial mineral materials with hydraulic properties, used as a clinker or cement substitutes (e.g. blast furnace slag, fly ash, pozzolana).
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Term used in this Guidance Document for referring to fuels that are a mix of biomass and fossil fuel, i.e. fuel with a certain biogenic carbon content.
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Net calorific value
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Net calorific value (= lower heat value, LHV), often in GJ per ton of fuel. The net calorific value excludes the latent heat contained in water vapour.
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Gross CO2 emissions minus CO2 emissions from alternative fossil fuels. This definition corresponds to the original Protocol version 1. Note that the option for subtracting bought emission rights for reporting net emissions according to the alternative definition in Protocol version 2 was hardly used.
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Normalcubic meters (at 1013 hPa and 0 °C)
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Fuels used by the company, which are not included in the definition of kiln fuels. For instance fuels used for plant and quarry vehicles, room heating, thermal process equipment (e.g. dryers) for the preparation of mineral components for cement grinding or in an installation separate from the kiln for on-site production of electrical power (See Section 3.8).
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GHG offsets are discrete GHG emission reductions used to compensate for (i.e., offset) GHG emissions elsewhere, for example to meet a voluntary or mandatory GHG target or cap. Offsets are calculated relative to a baseline that represents a hypothetical scenario for what emissions would have been in the absence of the mitigation project that generates the offsets. To avoid double-counting, the reduction giving rise to the offset must occur at sources or sinks not included in the target or cap for which it is used. Definition taken from: Glossary of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
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Ordinary Portland Cement
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In the CSI Cement CO2 and Energy Protocol OPC refers to a common type of cement with high clinker content, consisting of over 90% ground clinker and about 5% gypsum. Note that differences exist between names and definitions of cement types in national standards. OPC is often referred to as"Portland cement" or "CEM I" according to the European standard EN 197-1:2007, "Portland cement" or "P•I" or "P•II" according to the Chinese standard GB175-2007,"Portland cement Types I to V according to the US standard ASTM C 150 and"Portland" or "PC" as described in the 2006 IPCC Guideline for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. According to the Chinese standard GB175-2007 the name"Ordinary Portland cement" with the notation "P•O" and the notation "P•C" for "Composite Portland cements" can refer to cement types with significantly lower content of clinker.
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Petroleum coke, a carbon-based solid derived from oil refineries.
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A material that, when combined with calcium hydroxide, exhibits cementitious properties
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Emissions from industrial processes involving chemical transformations other than combustion. Definition taken from: Glossary of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
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The methodology for calculating, monitoring and reporting GHG emissions.
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Materials used for raw meal preparation, e.g. limestone, iron ore, sand etc., before they are treated thermally, e.g. for drying.
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Processes applied for converting raw materials to raw meal (e.g. grinding, homogenization, drying)
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The raw meal consists of the ground raw materials. The raw material processing can involve drying or the addition of water. The raw meal composition is controlled and normally very stable, because the clinker burning process requires a defined chemical composition of the kiln feed.
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The part of the raw meal, which is consumed for clinker production and the formation of calcined bypass dust. Compared to the kiln feed, the quantity of raw meal consumed excludes the part of recycled dust (see "dust return").
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Raw meal
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Specific emissions are emissions expressed on a per unit output basis, for instance in kg of CO2per tonne of cement.
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Total carbon
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Total inorganic carbon
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Total organic carbon
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Total carbon, the sum of TOC and TIC
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Carbon, mostly bound in the mineral matter of materials (e.g. carbonates in fuel ashes)
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Fossil fuels defined by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines, including mainly: coal, petcoke, lignite, shale, petroleum products and natural gas
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United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
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Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are those nations which have signed the convention.
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World Business Council for Sustainable Development
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The WBCSD is a CEO-led, global coalition of some 200 companies advocating for progress on sustainable development. Its mission is to be a catalyst for innovation and sustainable growth in a world where resources are increasingly limited. The Council provides a platform for companies to share experiences and best practices on sustainable development issues and advocate for their implementation, working with governments, non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations. The membership has annual revenues of USD 7 trillion, spans more than 35 countries and represents 20 major industrial sectors. The Council also benefits from a network of 60 national and regional business councils and partner organizations, a majority of which are based in developing countries.
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The World Resources Institute (WRI) is an environmental think tank founded in 1982 based in Washington, D.C. in the United States. WRI is an independent, non-partisan and nonprofit organisation with a staff of more than 100 scientists, economists, policy experts, business analysts, statistical analysts, mapmakers, and communicators developing and promoting policies with the intention of protecting the Earth and improving people's lives.
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World Resources Institute
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Abbreviations for chemical compounds
| CH4 | Methane |
| N2O | Nitrous Oxide |
| CO2 | Carbon Dioxide |
| CO | Carbon Monoxide |
| NOx | Nitrogen Oxides |
| NMVOC | Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compound |
| NH3 | Ammonia |
| CFCs | Chlorofluorocarbons |
| HFCs | Hydrofluorocarbons |
| PFCs | Perfluorocarbons |
| SO2 | Sulphur Dioxide |
| SF6 | Sulphur Hexafluoride |
| CCl4 | Carbon Tetrachloride |
| C2F6 | Hexafluoroethane |
Table 79: Abbreviations for chemical compounds
Units and abbreviations
| cubic metre | m3 |
| hectare | ha |
| gram | g |
| tonne | t |
| joule | J |
| degree Celsius | °C |
| calorie | cal |
| year | yr |
| capita | cap |
| gallon | gal |
| dry matter | dm |