Technology Roadmap Low-Carbon Transition in the Cement Industry

Key findings
Improving energy efficiency, switching to alternative 
fuels (fuels that are less carbon intensive), reducing 
the clinker to cement ratio and integrating carbon 
capture into cement production are the main 
carbon mitigation levers supporting the sustainable 
transition of the cement sector. The integration 
of emerging and innovative technologies like 
carbon capture and reducing of the clinker content 
in cement are identified to provide the largest 
cumulative CO
2
emissions reductions in the 2DS 
compared to the RTS by 2050, with 48% and 37% 
contributions, respectively. The remainder of the 
reduction arises from switching to lower-carbon fuels 
and, to a lesser extent, energy efficiency.
Alternative binding materials in principle offer 
opportunities for carbon emissions reductions but 
considerable further analysis is required to produce 
robust, independent and publicly available life-
cycle assessment of these materials, including a 
comparative quantification of the production costs 
and their long-term performance. Further process 
optimisation at the demonstration phase and 
product standardisation could open more avenues 
for commercial deployment.
Adopting a whole life-cycle approach and working 
collaboratively along the whole construction 
value chain offers additional opportunities for 
carbon emissions reductions beyond the cement 
manufacturing boundary. Optimising the use 
of concrete in construction by reducing waste, 
encouraging reuse and recycling, maximising design 
life and using concrete’s properties to minimise 
operational energy of the built environment, are key 
strategies in this area.
Realising the RTS would incur cumulative 
additional investments of United States dollars 
(USD)
3
107 billion to USD 127 billion by 2050 
compared to a situation where the current energy 
and carbon emissions footprint of cement making 
remain unchanged. This effort is equivalent 
to 24-28% of the total cumulative investment 
estimated to sustain global cement production over 
that period at current performance levels. Between 
USD 176 billion and USD 244 billion of additional 
global investments are estimated as necessary to 
implement the 2DS cumulatively by 2050 compared 
to the RTS. This represents 32-43% of the total 
cumulative investment estimated to realise the RTS. 
Governments, in collaboration with industry, can 
play a determinant role in developing investment 
risk-mitigating mechanisms that unlock private 
finance in areas with low likelihood of independent 
investment but important in the sustainable 
transition of society.
3. Investment figures are based on 2015 USD.
Key findings

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