# Waste-heat power (steam Rankine): What to track

Watch kiln hours, kWh per tonne and the host's health

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_whr_rankine/tracking/

Watch kiln hours, kWh per tonne and the host's health What this tab covers The attributes worth tracking regularly, with the latest value, the direction of travel and why each matters.

Track running hours, specific generation per tonne of clinker, the health of the host, and carbon rules that change the value of avoided power.

| Category | Attribute | Latest | Trend | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operational | **Capacity factor and operating hours** | About 6,100 full-load hours a year at CNBM Huaikan South (calculated)^[3](https://gccassociation.org/2050-net-zero-roadmap-one-year-on/action-progress-case-study-cnbm/) | → stable | Target above 3,000-4,000 hours; cement WHR usually far exceeds this, and kiln stops are the main loss. |
| Techno-economic | **Thermal efficiency over time (specific generation)** | 29-30 kWh per tonne of clinker in a new CNBM design; 30-35 kWh/t in Indian plants (CSE 2026)^[3](https://gccassociation.org/2050-net-zero-roadmap-one-year-on/action-progress-case-study-cnbm/)^[15](https://www.cseindia.org/content/downloadreports/13236) | ↗ improving | Better preheaters leave less heat to recover, so kWh per tonne can fall even as cycles improve. |
| Counterparty | **Host counterparty credit and utilisation rate** | UltraTech: 444 MW WHR, with WHR and renewables covering about 48% of its power (Oct 2026); Indian cement capacity about 622 Mtpa against 427 Mt produced in FY2024 (about 69% utilisation, calculated)^[4](https://www.constructionworld.in/energy-infrastructure/power-and-renewable-energy/ultratech-becomes-first-indian-company-with-2-gw-green-power-capacity/98558)^[17](https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2026-01/Roadmap_for_Cement_Sector_Decarbonaisation.pdf)^[22](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001296445/000119312526166801/ora_annual_report_2025.pdf) | ↗ improving | Kiln utilisation drives WHR output; captive ownership by large cement firms lowers credit risk. Ormat's pipeline units show that output falls when the host runs less. |
| Impact | **t CO2e avoided per dollar invested** | About 2.6 t CO2 per USD 1,000 of capex per year, for a 13 MW unit at USD 1,500/kW (calculated)^[1](https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/Waste_Heat_to_Power_Fact_Sheet.pdf)^[3](https://gccassociation.org/2050-net-zero-roadmap-one-year-on/action-progress-case-study-cnbm/) | → stable | Combines CNBM output and avoided CO2 with DOE capex for 5-20 MW units. |
| Operational | **Heat exchanger fouling and cleaning frequency** | Kiln gas dust about 35-125 g/Nm3^[2](https://www.greenbusinesscentre.com/doc/resources/publicationsbl/23.pdf) | → stable | Dust and alkali build-up cut boiler duty; check soot blowing or rapping systems and outlet temperature trend. |
| Policy | **Local carbon pricing and penalties** | EU ETS December 2026 allowance about EUR 84.50/t (23 October 2026), after trading at EUR 82-87 over the previous month; CBAM certificate price EUR 82.32/t for Q3 2026, up from EUR 75.28 in Q2 (definitive regime since 1 January 2026). India CCTS: intensity targets bind about 490 entities in seven sectors for 2025-26 and 2026-27 against a 2023-24 baseline; no certificate trading had been reported by July 2026, and analysts assume an opening price near USD 10/t CO2e.^[10](https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/carbon-border-adjustment-mechanism/cbam-definitive-regime_en)^[18](https://www.cemnet.com/News/story/182273/eua-trading-in-very-narrow-range-awaiting-news-from-ets-revision-moves-driven-by-gas-price.html)^[19](https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/carbon-border-adjustment-mechanism/price-cbam-certificates_en)^[20](https://icapcarbonaction.com/en/news/compliance-obligations-under-indias-carbon-credit-trading-scheme-enter-force-seven-sectors)^[21](https://climateriskhorizons.com/app/uploads/2026/07/CCTS-Report_WebsiteDraft_28.07.26-1.pdf) | ↕ volatile | Cement is covered by CBAM and by India's CCTS. EU prices sit in the low to mid EUR 80s while ETS reform is debated; India's targets are modest (cement average cuts of about 1.89% by 2025-26 and 3.22% by 2026-27), so CCTS adds little value to recovery projects for now. |
| Market | **Installed WHR in US industry** | 938 MW at over 100 sites (2019); WHP steam turbines about 600 MW at over 60 sites (2024 data)^[1](https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/Waste_Heat_to_Power_Fact_Sheet.pdf)^[8](https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/CHP_Steam_Turbines.pdf) | → stable | Shows a small base against 8,840 MW potential. |
| Techno-economic | **Combined-cycle efficiency frontier** | 63-64% net for GE 7HA^[5](https://www.gevernova.com/gas-power/products/gas-turbines/7ha) | → stable | Sets the benchmark for gas plant efficiency and the gap that steam bottoming fills. |
| Market | **Adoption of WHR in Indian cement** | About 80-90% of plants (CSE 2026); about 70% of kilns (Triveni, 2021, company view)^[15](https://www.cseindia.org/content/downloadreports/13236)^[16](https://www.epcworld.in/demand-for-whrs-has-slowly-picked-up-across-the-country-says-arun-mote-executive-director-ceo-triveni-turbines/) | ↗ improving | Remaining opportunity is mainly in smaller and older plants and in upgrading existing systems. |

#### Sources

1. [Waste Heat to Power, CHP Technology Fact Sheet Series (DOE/EE-2347)](https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/Waste_Heat_to_Power_Fact_Sheet.pdf) US Department of Energy, 2021
2. [Manual on Waste Heat Recovery in Indian Cement Industry](https://www.greenbusinesscentre.com/doc/resources/publicationsbl/23.pdf) Confederation of Indian Industry, Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre, 2009
3. [2050 Net Zero Roadmap one year on, action progress case study: CNBM, using new WHR power generation technology](https://gccassociation.org/2050-net-zero-roadmap-one-year-on/action-progress-case-study-cnbm/) Global Cement and Concrete Association, 2022
4. [UltraTech becomes first Indian company with 2 GW green power capacity](https://www.constructionworld.in/energy-infrastructure/power-and-renewable-energy/ultratech-becomes-first-indian-company-with-2-gw-green-power-capacity/98558) Construction World, 2026
5. [7HA gas turbine (product page)](https://www.gevernova.com/gas-power/products/gas-turbines/7ha) GE Vernova, 2026
6. [Steam Turbines, CHP Technology Fact Sheet Series (DOE/EE-2976)](https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/CHP_Steam_Turbines.pdf) US Department of Energy, 2025
7. [CBAM definitive regime](https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/carbon-border-adjustment-mechanism/cbam-definitive-regime_en) European Commission, Taxation and Customs Union, 2026
8. [Cementing the Transition: the role of energy efficiency in decarbonising India's cement sector](https://www.cseindia.org/content/downloadreports/13236) Centre for Science and Environment, 2026
9. [Demand for WHRS has slowly picked up across the country, says Arun Mote, Triveni Turbines (interview; company view)](https://www.epcworld.in/demand-for-whrs-has-slowly-picked-up-across-the-country-says-arun-mote-executive-director-ceo-triveni-turbines/) EPC World, 2021
10. [Roadmap for Cement Sector Decarbonisation](https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2026-01/Roadmap_for_Cement_Sector_Decarbonaisation.pdf) NITI Aayog, 2026
11. [EUA trading in very narrow range awaiting news from ETS revision; moves driven by gas price](https://www.cemnet.com/News/story/182273/eua-trading-in-very-narrow-range-awaiting-news-from-ets-revision-moves-driven-by-gas-price.html) CemNet (International Cement Review), 2026
12. [Price of CBAM certificates](https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/carbon-border-adjustment-mechanism/price-cbam-certificates_en) European Commission, Taxation and Customs Union, 2026
13. [Compliance obligations under India's Carbon Credit Trading Scheme enter into force for seven sectors](https://icapcarbonaction.com/en/news/compliance-obligations-under-indias-carbon-credit-trading-scheme-enter-force-seven-sectors) International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP), 2026
14. [Unlocking Ambition for India's Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (Anirudh TR)](https://climateriskhorizons.com/app/uploads/2026/07/CCTS-Report_WebsiteDraft_28.07.26-1.pdf) Climate Risk Horizons and Energy Transition Ventures, 2026
15. [Annual Report 2025 including Form 10-K (OREG recovered energy plants, table of power plants and footnote 8)](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001296445/000119312526166801/ora_annual_report_2025.pdf) Ormat Technologies (SEC filing), 2026

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_whr_rankine/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_whr_rankine/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_whr_rankine/correlation/index.md)
- [Science and thermodynamics](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_whr_rankine/rc-sci/index.md)
- [Engineering and integration](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_whr_rankine/rc-eng/index.md)
- [Economics and contracts](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_whr_rankine/rc-econ/index.md)
- [Impact and additionality](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_whr_rankine/rc-impact/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_whr_rankine/links/index.md)