Technology Roadmap Low-Carbon Transition in the Cement Industry

Support transition to low-carbon 
cement production
1. Promote the adoption of state‑of‑the‑art 
energy efficiency technologies for new and 
retrofit plants
z
Governments to eliminate energy price subsidies, 
which can act as a barrier to the use of energy-
efficient technologies.
z
Industry to phase out inefficient long-dry kilns 
and wet production processes.
z
Governments to develop plant- or sector-level 
energy efficiency improvement target-setting 
programmes.
2. Encourage and facilitate increased use of 
alternative fuels and alternative raw materials 
(waste co‑processing in cement kilns)
z
Governments and industry to promote 
deployment of an economy based on resource 
efficiency.
z
Governments to develop and reinforce waste 
management regulations, encompassing waste 
avoidance, collection, sorting and treatment. 
These regulations should give priority to waste 
co-processing versus incineration and landfilling.
z
Governments and industry to develop and 
promote sets of guidelines on use of alternative 
fuels inspired by international best practice, and 
5. Policy, finance and international 
collaboration: Actions and milestones
to ensure operators have adequate processes 
in place for acceptance, traceability, impact 
monitoring, etc.
z
Governments to ensure training of authorities and 
adequate technical backgrounds of civil servants 
responsible for permits, control and supervision.
z
Governments and industry to engage with non-
governmental organisations and civil society to 
raise awareness of the benefits of optimal waste 
management.
3. Encourage and facilitate reduction of the 
clinker to cement ratio
z
Independent organisations to develop cement 
and concrete standards and codes that allow 
widespread use of blended cements while 
ensuring product reliability and durability at final 
application.
z
Governments to promote the use of blended 
cements in sourcing and public procurement 
policies.
z
Governments and industry to ensure traceability/
labelling/ethical and responsible sourcing of 
construction materials.
z
Industry and universities to conduct R&D into 
processing techniques for potential cement 
blending materials that cannot currently be used 
due to quality constraints.
z
Industry to promote international training 
events with national standardisation bodies and 
accreditation institutes, to exchange experiences 
on reducing the clinker to cement ratio, cement 
and concrete standards, and environmental and 
economic impact.
4. Support development and deployment 
of emerging and innovative low‑carbon 
technologies for cement production including 
carbon capture, storage and utilisation
z
Governments and international development 
institutions to mitigate risks through investment 
mechanisms that use private funding for low-
carbon innovative technologies and through the 
promotion of private-public partnerships. For 
example, programmes such as Horizon 2020 or 
the Innovation Fund in the European Union help 
to attract private investment and reduce the risks 
associated with innovative technologies.

---

48