5 key ways to decarbonise cement production

As the binding agent in concrete, cement is the catalyst that drives modern development forward. Although indispensable, its production has a substantial carbon footprint, accounting for over 25% of global industrial emissions and nearly 7% of overall anthropogenic CO2 emissions.  

We recently published a report exploring the factors set to drive and limit carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) deployment as a means of decarbonising global cement production. Fill out the form to access a series of key insights from this report, or read on for an introduction. 

Why CCUS? 

Around 60% of cement-related emissions come from unavoidable chemical reactions during the calcination of raw materials. The rest mainly result from burning fuels (primarily fossil fuels) to reach the very high temperatures required for clinker production, the main component of cement. This means switching to zero-CO2-emission fuels or renewable energies alone cannot fully decarbonise the cement industry. Only the use of CCUS technologies can achieve full decarbonisation of cement production. 

Cement has low-profit margins, leading to local production and consumption. The high costs associated with implementing CCUS will significantly impact its final price. Whether the final consumer will pay extra for a zero-emissions product remains uncertain. Still, the truth is that cement producers worldwide are feeling varying degrees of pressure to achieve full decarbonisation and need support. Given the global cement production is highly concentrated in a few countries, with China and India accounting for 60% of the worldwide cement production, policy support from these governments is crucial to drive CCUS and offset the associated costs. Unfortunately, robust policies in these countries are essentially non-existent today. 

Get your copy

Gain valuable information on the following topics:

• Onsite CO2 storage
• CO2 hub transport and storage
• Enhanced oil recovery
• CO2 utilization
• Offsetting via CO2 removal credits

Fill out the form to receive a complimentary PDF with these key insights.