Technology Roadmap Low-Carbon Transition in the Cement Industry

Foreword
This publication reflects the views of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Secretariat but does not necessarily reflect 
those of individual IEA member countries. The IEA makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, in respect 
to the publication’s contents (including its completeness or accuracy) and shall not be responsible for any use of, or 
reliance on, the publication. 

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Technology Roadmap
Low-Carbon Transition in the Cement Industry
Table of contents
Foreword 1
Acknowledgements 4
Key findings 5
Key actions to 2030 6
1. Introduction 8
The concrete and cement societal needs nexus 8
Roadmap objectives 8
Roadmap approach 9
Roadmap scope 10
2. Overview of cement manufacturing 12
Efforts made towards achieving low-carbon cement production 14
3. The vision 17
4. Carbon emissions reduction levers 23
Improving energy efficiency 23
Switching to alternative fuels 28
Reducing the clinker to cement ratio 32
Using emerging and innovative technologies 36
Spotlight: Alternative binding materials for cements 41
5. Policy, finance and international collaboration: Actions and milestones 47
Policy priorities and regulatory frameworks 47
Investment requirements and financial support 48
International collaboration 51
Roadmap action plan 52
Annex 54
Roadmap modelling framework and methodology 54
Regional definitions 55
References 57
Glossary 59
Abbreviations and acronyms 60
Units of measure 60
List of figures
Figure 1. Cement manufacturing 
12
Figure 2. Energy demand distribution by process step 
14
Figure 3. Global cement demand intensity and population, and cement production
intensity for selected regions 
17
Figure 4. Cement production by region 
18
Figure 5. Global direct CO
2
 emissions in cement production by scenario 
20
Figure 6. Global final energy demand and direct CO
2
 intensity of cement production
in the roadmap vision (2DS) 
21

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Table of contents
Figure 7. Global cumulative CO
2
 emissions reductions by applying the roadmap vision (2DS)
compared to the RTS 
22
Figure 8. Global aggregated thermal energy intensity of clinker and electricity
intensity of cement production in the 2DS 
25
Figure 9. Aggregated thermal energy intensity of clinker production and electricity intensity of cement 
production in the 2DS by region 
26
Figure 10. Global thermal energy mix in cement in the 2DS 
29
Figure 11. Regional thermal energy mix in cement in the 2DS 
30
Figure 12. Global cement production and clinker to cement ratio in the 2DS 
33
Figure 13. Global average estimates of cement composition 
34
Figure 14. Regional clinker to cement ratio in the 2DS low-variability case 
35
Figure 15. Global deployment of CO
2
 capture for permanent storage in the cement sector in the 2DS 
39
Figure 16. Process CO
2
 emissions generation intensity for selected cement binding materials 
43
Figure 17. Overall cumulative investments needs by scenario by 2050 
49
Figure 18. Global cumulative additional investments in the roadmap vision (2DS)
compared to the RTS, based on the low-variability case by 2050 
50
Figure 19. High-level structure of the IEA ETP cement sector model 
55