Can low-emission cement move from pilot projects to industrial scale?

What are the main ways to make low-emission cement?

There is no single technology that will get cement to net-zero; instead, a portfolio of approaches is needed. The most comprehensive roadmap [1] for China's cement industry — which produces over half the world's cement — predicts that by 2060, the largest emission cuts will come from carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) at 33%, followed by new low-carbon clinker chemistries at 28%, and alternative raw materials at 27%. Energy efficiency and alternative fuels contribute smaller but still important shares (8% and 4%, respectively). This means that while efficiency gains are a good short-term step, deep decarbonization requires more radical changes.

One radical approach is to change the chemistry of cement itself. A review [7] highlights carbonatable calcium silicate-based cement, which can reduce CO2 emissions by about 70% compared to ordinary Portland cement. Another paper [10] developed a new ternesite sulphoaluminate cement made from solid wastes (petroleum coke ash, fly ash, bauxite) that requires no added gypsum and is fired at a lower temperature (1175°C vs. ~1450°C for conventional clinker), saving energy and reducing emissions.

Another promising route is to capture CO2 and store it in the concrete. A 2025 study [6] showed that adding 'recarbonates' (minerals that have captured CO2) to concrete can reduce its embedded carbon by 12.07 kg CO2 per cubic meter when just 3% of the cement is replaced. This is a relatively small change that could be adopted more easily than a complete plant redesign.

Can breakthrough technologies like electrolysis or mineral carbonation scale up?

Yes, but they are at different stages of readiness. The most dramatic result comes from a 2025 lab-scale study [2] that used an electrochemical 'cement recycler' to convert waste cement into hydrated lime (Ca(OH)2) and silica, bypassing the need to heat limestone. This process achieved a 99.8% reduction in CO2 emissions when using fresh waste cement, and an 80% reduction with aged demolition waste. The authors claim it could cut global CO2 emissions by nearly 1 gigaton annually if scaled. However, this is a laboratory demonstration (current densities up to 300 mA/cm², yields >80%), and scaling to industrial production will require significant engineering and cost reductions.

Mineral carbonation — reacting CO2 with minerals like olivine to make a cement substitute — is another promising route. A detailed process design study [11] found that blended cement made with mineral carbonation products could cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 54% and be cost-competitive with conventional cement under optimized conditions. This is a more mature concept, with the study using real European cement standards (CEM II) to guide the design, suggesting it is closer to industrial reality.

However, a systematic review [5] cautions that most emerging technologies are still at an early stage of development and that rigorous life-cycle assessments are needed to confirm their true carbon-saving potential. The review emphasizes that a multi-faceted approach — coupling materials innovations, alternative fuels, and efficiencies — is essential to reach net-zero.

What can be done right now while waiting for breakthroughs?

A lot. Existing technologies can already make a significant dent in emissions and pollution. A 2024 study [3] on China's cement industry found that current dust removal, desulfurization, and denitrification systems can cut particulate matter by 37%, sulfur dioxide by 24%, and nitrogen oxides by 64% — improvements that also reduce CO2 indirectly by making plants more efficient. These 'ultra-low emission' transformations are already being rolled out in some Chinese provinces and are planned nationally.

Energy efficiency is the low-hanging fruit. A modeling study [4] showed that improving energy efficiency in China's cement industry could reduce SO2, NOx, and PM2.5 emissions by 33%, 35%, and 8% respectively by 2030. The same study found that achieving net-zero in the long run will require bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), a negative-emission technology.

Policy is a critical enabler. A roadmap paper [8] argues that a combination of cost assessments, government regulations, and industry commitment is needed to transition the sector. The review [9] notes that while developing countries like China and India are currently focused on energy efficiency, developed regions like Europe are already investing heavily in CCUS projects (e.g., CEMCAP, CLEANKER). This suggests that the path to scale will vary by region, but the technologies exist to start now.

About These Sources

This answer is built on 11 peer-reviewed studies — published from 2022 to 2025, 5 from 2024 or later, 9 in Q1 journals, collectively cited 1,061 times — selected as the most relevant from 11 studies that passed quality screening, drawn from 51 papers retrieved from a database of over 500 million.

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