Cement

Key strategies to cut carbon emissions in cement production include improving energy efficiency, switching to lower-carbon fuels, promoting material efficiency (to reduce the clinker-to-cement ratio and total demand), and advancing innovative near zero emission production routes. The latter two contribute the most to direct emission reductions in the Net Zero Scenario. Aligning with that scenario will require the development and deployment of technology that is not currently available.

In this scenario, global cement production stays relatively flat to 2030. Adopting material efficiency strategies to optimise the use of cement can help reduce demand along the entire construction value chain, helping to cut CO2 emissions from cement production. Therefore, demand in 2030 in the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario is 6% lower than in a baseline scenario in which no steps are taken to reduce demand.

Technological innovation is needed to reduce cement process emissions. CCS is likely to play a critical role in decarbonising cement, as it would enable the capture of process emissions. Alternatives might involve making clinkers from non-carbonate sources to avoid these emissions altogether.

The other technology that sees wide deployment in the Net Zero Scenario is CCS. Capturing around 0.1 Mt of cement emissions today, CCS deployment needs to increase drastically over the decade, capturing almost 180 Mt in 2030.
Governments must make plans for the construction of infrastructure to transport and store captured CO2, as a lack of supporting infrastructure could significantly delay technological deployment and effectiveness.

Last updated Oct 5, 2022