Technology Roadmap Low-Carbon Transition in the Cement Industry

Technology Roadmap
Low-Carbon Transition in the Cement Industry
These are promising developments that support 
the reduction of the clinker to cement ratio in the 
2DS. The global reserves of raw clay are considered 
effectively unlimited compared to global cement 
production volumes; however, other clinker 
substituents, such as GGBFS and fly ash, are 
envisioned to be significantly less available in the 
2DS. Cements based on calcined clay and ground 
limestone are considered to penetrate the market 
in the 2DS, reaching 27% of the global cement 
production by 2050.
Regional implementation
to 2030
Differences in the availability of cement 
constituents, in the competition for these materials 
with other final uses such as concrete production 
and in cement standards set a wide range of clinker 
to cement ratios across different regions. Regional 
reported data and IEA estimates for the clinker to 
cement ratio in 2014 range from 0.57 (China) to 
0.87 (Eurasia), and result in 0.65 globally.
The regional spread of the clinker to cement ratio 
observed currently is almost halved in the 2DS by 
2030. China remains the region with the lowest 
clinker to cement ratio (0.58) compared to a highest 
0.72 average level shared by Eurasia and Other 
Asia Pacific. Considerable clinker to cement ratio 
reductions in relative terms are considered across 
different regions in the 2DS by 2030 compared to 
current levels, ranging from 8% to 19% (Figure 14). 
These are in response to limited direct CO
2
emissions and different regional contexts in terms 
of current shares of clinker in cement, cement 
constituent availability and cement standards. 
However, this regional shift in cement composition 
is not seen to the same extent in global terms. 
Chinese cement production, with the lowest 
international clinker to cement ratio, still accounts 
for 45% of the global cement production by 2030, 
despite the expected decrease in domestic activity 
over the time frame.
KEY MESSAGE: The increased use of emerging cement constituents instead of clinker and greater market 
penetration of blended cements reduce the global clinker to cement ratio to 0.60 by 2050 in the 2DS.