CEMENT’S ROLE IN A CARBON-NEUTRAL FUTURE

Cement production accounts for 5.6% of global CO2 emissions, split between thermal fuel combustion (30-40%) and limestone calcination process emissions (60-70%). The report highlights that concrete naturally re-absorbs CO2 through carbonation, sequestering roughly 48% of process emissions over several decades. To reach carbon neutrality by 2050, the author models scenarios suggesting that capturing 80% of process emissions is sufficient if electricity is decarbonized, or 53% if thermal fuels are also fully decarbonized. Mitigation strategies discussed include energy efficiency, clinker substitution (reducing clinker content to 60%), and novel technologies from CarbonCure and Solidia.

• Cement manufacturing is responsible for 5.6% of global CO2 emissions, with 30-40% originating from thermal fuels (mostly coal) and 60-70% from "process emissions" caused by the breakdown of limestone during calcination.
• Concrete naturally sequesters CO2 through a process called carbonation; globally, about one-third of process emissions are re-absorbed within two years, increasing to approximately 48% over several decades.
• Carbonation rates vary by region and concrete quality; for example, tests in Shenyang, China, showed carbonation penetration exceeding 10 mm within six months, partly due to poorer concrete quality compared to Western countries.
• Reducing the clinker-to-cement ratio is a key abatement strategy; while the global average is 78%, achieving a 60% clinker content by 2050 would reduce process emissions by 23%.
• CarbonCure technology reduces net CO2 emissions by 18 kg per cubic meter of concrete, primarily by increasing concrete strength and allowing for a 5% reduction in the amount of cement used in the mix.
• Solidia Technologies produces a non-hydraulic cement that reduces process emissions by 30% and thermal fuel use by up to 30%, while its concrete can sequester up to 300 kg of CO2 per ton of cement during a 24-hour curing process.
• Modeling indicates that if electricity is emissions-free by 2050, capturing 80% of process emissions is sufficient for carbon neutrality. If thermal fuel is also fully decarbonized, a capture rate of 53% achieves the same goal.

APA

Rissman, J. (2018). CEMENT’S ROLE IN A CARBON-NEUTRAL FUTURE. Energy Innovation. https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Role-of-Cement-in-a-Carbon-Neutral-Future.pdf

Chicago

Rissman, Jeffrey. CEMENT’S ROLE IN A CARBON-NEUTRAL FUTURE. Energy Innovation, 2018. https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Role-of-Cement-in-a-Carbon-Neutral-Future.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Rissman |first1=Jeffrey |title=CEMENT’S ROLE IN A CARBON-NEUTRAL FUTURE |publisher=Energy Innovation |date=November 2018 |url=https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Role-of-Cement-in-a-Carbon-Neutral-Future.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rissman2018cements, author = {Rissman, Jeffrey}, title = {{CEMENT’S ROLE IN A CARBON-NEUTRAL FUTURE}}, institution = {Energy Innovation}, year = {2018}, month = nov, url = {https://energyinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Role-of-Cement-in-a-Carbon-Neutral-Future.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }