Decarbonizing Cement & Concrete Industry

Decarbonizing Cement & Concrete Industry

Summary

The cement industry, a top emitter, is making efforts to significantly decarbonize the industry, as it is currently aiming to produce net-zero cement and concrete by 2050. In order to do so, new technologies have come to the fore, namely: reduction of the clinker factor in the production of cement, the use of alternative fuels, CCUS and carbon negative concrete. Numerous policies have been brought forward by governments as well as coalitions and initiatives from major players of the industry. However, decarbonization efforts will need to be made across the whole value chain, and not only during the process of cement production if net neutrality is to be reached by 2050. This includes efforts from both major importers such as North America, and major exporters such as Asia.

The cement industry is a significant global emitter, accounting for 8% of global emissions (the largest within the construction industry). To incentivize emission reductions, the sector has set the bold target to produce net-zero cement and concrete by 2050. However, the sector remains far off track. According to the IEA, cement production will need to plateau in the upcoming years, and emissions fall by around 20%, in order to reach net-zero by 2050. Cement is a hard to abate sector due to the large global demand for new construction, particularly in rapidly urbanizing countries. Due to this requirement, it is essential the sector engages with a range of decarbonizing technologies to tackle its emissions, and for governments to establish supportive legislation and financial incentives. Decarbonization technologies include supplementary cementitious material, alternative fuels, carbon capture, utilisation, and storage, and green concrete, which are in varying stages of development and implementation. All face issues of cost, and some face raw material shortages. Another strategy gaining a foothold in the market is circularity, which promotes usage of waste materials as well as fuels which come from waste. Cement production cannot be fully electrified due to the intensity of its energy requirements. Instead, the sector will need to increase the proportion of alternative fuels used to replace coal and reduce carbon emissions. Carbon capture technology is now in early stages of being implemented in some plants, working to offset their overall emissions. However, CCUS infrastructure is growing slowly, and this is particularly true in the regions that produce the most cement. New technologies have demonstrated potential mechanisms for making concrete net carbon negative, which while still in the very early stages, could be vital in transforming the industry. Cost is currently prohibitive, but the technologies could be a valuable resource in achieving the ambitious but essential net zero targets. With the right governmental incentives and guidelines, these technologies could witness rapid growth in the upcoming decade.

Scope

• Global CO2 emissions from the cement and concrete industry, relevant policies for the decarbonization of the industry, analysis of major importers and exporters of cement, analysis of different decarbonizing technologies such as reduction of clinker factor, use of alternative fuels, CCUS, carbon negative concrete.
• The cement industry is aiming to produce net-zero cement by 2050, but the global cement production must stay flat in order to meet net-zero targets. Major players in the industry such as CRH, Holcim, Cemex and Heidelberg Materials have set individual decarbonizing targets and joined coalitions to combine efforts to reach said targets. Whilst the largest exporter of cement is Asia-Pacific, the largest importers and Europe and North America. The key decarbonizing technologies within the industry are the reduction of clinker factor, the use of alternative fuels, CCUS and carbon negative concrete.

Reasons to Buy

• Identify the market trends within the industry and assess what the biggest players in cement production are doing to reduce emissions.
• Develop market insight of the major technologies used to decarbonize the industry, as well as the policy framework laid out by governments.
• Understand the role major exporters and importers play in decarbonizing the industry and which strategies they should adopt going forward.
• Facilitate the understanding of what is happening within hard to abate industries as they look to becoming carbon neutral by 2050.