Technology Roadmap Low-Carbon Transition in the Cement Industry

Renewable power generation
z
The availability of local renewable sources
(e.g. solar radiation or wind speed and 
conditions) is the primary factor influencing the 
deployment of renewable power generation 
technologies at cement or grinding plants. In 
general, grinding units are more suitable for 
using renewable energy, due to the flexibility in 
operating hours during the day.
z
Electricity prices
(e.g. electricity exchange 
conditions) and 
policy contexts
(e.g. availability 
of incentives or easy permit policies), may 
also influence the uptake of renewable-based 
electricity in cement making. This could either be 
through self-generation or through renewable-
certified power purchase agreements.

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4. Carbon emissions reduction levers
Carbon capture, storage and utilisation
z
Effective policies 
providing the economic 
incentive to reduce the carbon footprint of 
cement production and supporting cross-
sectoral public-private co-operation are the main 
challenge to market deployment of CCS and the 
identification of optimal locations and designs for 
CO
2
transport and storage infrastructures, as well 
as to the technical integration of carbon capture 
technologies being demonstrated at commercial 
scale in the cement process.
z
High estimated costs for CO
2
capture
compared to the specific cost of cement 
production. However, it is expected that the cost 
of carbon capture will decrease in the future 
due to technical and scientific progress. Public 
awareness of CCS is still low, and the public has 
formed little firm opinions on CCS and its role 
in mitigating climate change, except in a few 
European countries.
z
Commercial hurdles
hinder emerging and new 
CO
2
utilisation routes from advancing rapidly and 
achieving maturity from laboratory to market, 
beyond technical limitations. This is partly due 
to the low prices of alternative fuels and often 
to reliance on an abundance of renewable 
electricity. Achieving hydrogen generation 
with zero carbon emissions would ensure CO
2
emissions reductions in those cases. 
z
Land and water availability, and size of 
downstream markets
are other limiting factors 
for CCU applications. A life-cycle assessment 
approach should be applied to measure the 
specific contribution of each CCU route, to enable 
environmental acceptance.