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Silvian Baltac, Anisha Harris, Ignacio Rabsiun, Samuel Chan, Yamini Panchaksharam, Meriem Chennoufi, Jacob Jones
Citation: IEAGHG, “Clean Cement: Environmental & Techno-economic Outlook of Transformative Decarbonisation Pathways’, 2026-07, July 2026, doi.org/10.62849/2026-07
Cement is a cornerstone of the modern global economy, with 2023 production reaching approximately 4.1 billion tonnes, and while regional trends vary, global production volumes are expected to remain relatively stable through to 2050. The primary use of cement is in concrete, which underpins construction worldwide from housing and schools to roads and dams, and it will remain essential for the infrastructure required to support the energy transition.
At the same time, the sector faces significant challenges. Cement production is responsible for around 7% of annual energy-related CO₂ emissions, making it one of the most carbon-intensive industries. In Europe, pressure to decarbonise is mounting. The phase-out of free allowances under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is raising the effective carbon price for producers and provides a push towards lower-emission pathways. Demand-led pressure to decarbonise is also driving decarbonisation with members of the First Movers Coalition, for example, already committed to ensure that at least 10% of the cement or concrete they purchase per year is low-emissions by 2030. The primary objective of this study is to deliver a combined techno-economic (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) of low-carbon cement production pathways with the highest potential for commercial deployment by the 2030s.
The primary objective of this study is to deliver a combined techno-economic (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) of low-carbon cement production pathways with the highest potential for commercial deployment by the 2030s.
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