20 May 2021
A new Imperial report identifies alternative materials and carbon capture technologies as critical in decarbonising the cement industry.
Around 3.5 billion tonnes of Ordinary Portland Cement, a critical building material worldwide, are produced annually – but every tonne emits up to 622 kg of carbon dioxide (CO
2) The cement industry contributes seven per cent of global anthropogenic CO
2 emissions, with the amount of CO
2 released depending on differences in the materials used in production, the types of cement kiln used, and the fuels being burned.
CO2 is a key greenhouse gas driving climate change, and it’s released by several aspects of cement production. Professor Paul Fennell Department of Chemical Engineering