Eleven leading materials scientists call for massive decarbonization of the cement industry

Eleven leading materials scientists* are calling for wider adoption of low-carbon cement technology to reduce emissions by 2030. An international group of scientists renowned for their expertise has called on the cement and construction sectors to urgently adopt low-carbon cement technologies to radically reduce CO2 emissions.

A scientific symposium

As a reminder, cement is responsible for nearly 8% of global CO emissions.₂, which is more than shipping, aviation and long-haul trucking combined.

During a symposium organized on November 9 and 10 in Paris by Ecocem, European leader in low-carbon cement technologies, these scientists (list in Appendix) shared their latest research work on low-carbon cement technologies. carbon content and focused on ideas and materials that could accelerate the decarbonization of the sector.

The decarbonization of cement, an absolute emergency

Global demand for cement is expected to increase over the coming decades. The World Economic Forum, among others, predicts that demand for cement could increase by up to 45% by 2050. The scientists said that "effective solutions are urgently needed if the cement sector construction as a whole must decarbonize in accordance with a 1,5°C trajectory.”

The academics concluded that adopting the latest developments in low-carbon cement technology is the fastest and most scalable way to significantly reduce emissions in the cement and construction sectors by the end of 2030.

The cement industry has long been considered difficult to decarbonize, due to the use of clinker, the main ingredient in cement, which is produced by baking limestone at extremely high temperatures. Although low-carbon cements already exist, the challenge to date has been to imagine their large-scale production. During these two days, scientists reviewed new data on the use of alternative materials that reduce the volume of clinker, replacing it with a wide variety of locally sourced fillers and mineral additions (in English, SCMs: Supplementary Cementitious Materials).

A call to action

The eleven researchers, who represent a range of institutions from around the world (list in Appendix), said that "it is no longer possible to say that we do not have the necessary technology or that the costs are prohibitive." Materials science has advanced to the point where rapid decarbonization of cement without excessive cost is now a reality. At the forefront of these advances is ACT, Ecocem's latest technology, which helps reduce cement emissions by 70% while ensuring that the concrete produced retains its workability, strength and durability, with the added benefit to consume much less water and energy. ACT is globally deployable due to its compatibility with a wide variety of mineral admixtures and can be produced in existing cement plants with minimal additional investment.

A convincing technological response

Donal O'Riain, founder and CEO of Ecocem, welcomes this in-depth scientific work. Drawing on the conclusions of this symposium, he calls on the profession: “The widespread adoption of ACT technology will allow the cement industry to significantly reduce its overall emissions, quickly and at lower cost. Policymakers must accelerate the implementation of regulations to ensure that low-carbon cement technologies can be used more widely, and that available investments can accelerate the industrial deployment of these new technologies. I call on the cement sector to act quickly. We have the opportunity to be the first industrial sector to meet a 50% reduction in emissions by the end of 2030. The technology is available to decarbonize the entire cement sector to limit global warming at 1,5°C. It is now our responsibility to ensure that it is implemented quickly. »

*The academics involved and their institutions

Arezki Tagnit-Hamou, University of Sherbrooke, Canada
Ciaran McNally, University College of Dublin, Ireland
Doug Hooton, University of Toronto, Canada
Francesca Ridi, University of Florence, Italy
Johann Plank, Technical University of Munich, Germany
Kamal Khayat, Missouri University of Science and Technology, USA
Martin Cyr, Toulouse University, France
Mohend Chaouche, Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS) University of Paris Saclay, France
Rafael Pileggi, University or Sao Paulo, Brazil
Shashank Bishnoi, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, India
William Wilson, University of Sherbrooke, Canada