Smart City Consultant’s Post

Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed a method to produce very low-emission #concrete at scale. 💡Recent tests carried out by the Materials Processing Institute, a partner in the project, showed that recycled #cement can be produced at scale in an #electricarcfurnace (EAF). When EAF is powered by #renewables, zero-emission #cement could become possible. ✈️ Current estimated global emission from #cement is more than 3 times of the #airlines combined. 👷Cement industry is also one of the hardest to abate sectors and environmentally challenging due to the use of limestone as it’s feedstock. 🏠 Countries, especially the developing nations, need more #cement and #concrete as construction industry is key for the development of the nation’s infrastructure and buildings. 🔨 Hope the implementation of this innovation will be very quick because #recycling of #cement and #concrete makes a lot of sense.

Researchers have developed a new method to produce green cement with near-zero emissions. By integrating steel and cement recycling, this innovative process uses electric furnaces from the steel industry to recycle cement from demolished buildings. The resulting material can then be used in new construction projects, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of cement production. This groundbreaking approach, detailed in a recent Nature paper, has the potential to transform one of the world's most polluting industries. As Professor Julian Allwood from the University of Cambridge states, "It's remarkably simple... and it did work." The method involves using recycled cement as flux in steel recycling, producing usable cement from the byproduct slag. The first large-scale trial is set to begin with the Spanish company CELSA GROUP in Cardiff, Wales, aiming to produce up to 30 tons per hour. This initiative could meet 25% of global cement demand by 2050, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional cement production. With construction firms increasingly striving to meet net-zero goals, innovations like Cambridge Electric Cement are essential. As Claude Lorea from the GCCA – Global Cement and Concrete Association Association highlights, a whole-life approach is crucial for these projects. #Sustainability #GreenCement #Decarbonization #CircularEconomy #EarthResponsibilityScore

Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed a revolutionary method to produce very low emission concrete at scale. This innovative process utilizes electric arc furnaces, traditionally used in steel recycling, to recycle cement. The result? A scalable, cost-effective solution that significantly reduces emissions from both concrete and steel production. 🔍 Leveraging used cement in place of lime flux not only avoids waste but also paves the way for zero-emission cement, especially when powered by renewable energies. 🌱 These innovations highlight the significance of thinking outside the box to meet global cement demands sustainably. The potential to produce one billion tons per year by 2050 could change the game for global construction. #Sustainability #InnovationInConstruction #ClimateAction #ZeroEmissions #CambridgeResearch #EngineeringForChange https://lnkd.in/eBnUzmpe

This is a very promising development: recycling concrete back into cement as part of recycling steel and producing no additional carbon other than that from the power used. NB the zero carbon claim is based on the electricity coming from renewable sources. The next step is to see if it can be scaled. #structuralengineering #civilengineering #netzero #netzeroconstruction #refurbishment https://lnkd.in/eYZp5jHr

🌍 Zero Carbon Steel and Cement? Too Good to Be True? 🌍 Concrete production accounts for about 8% of global CO2 emissions, and steel contributes 7-9%. Cambridge researchers have developed a revolutionary method that could make both industries carbon-zero. By recycling old concrete in steel-processing furnaces, this process purifies iron and creates "reactivated cement" as a byproduct. When powered by renewable energy, it has the potential to transform these major CO2-intensive industries. This technique uses electric arc furnaces to convert waste concrete into clinker, significantly reducing emissions and costs. Industrial-scale trials are already underway, aiming to produce one billion tonnes of "electric cement" by 2050. This breakthrough highlights the incredible potential for innovation in our journey to zero emissions. Let’s support these advancements for a greener future! #Sustainability #Innovation #GreenBuilding #CO2Reduction #CircularEconomy #CambridgeResearch #CleanEnergy #ZeroEmissions #ConstructionRevolution

One of the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE Grand Prize winners CarbonCure Technologies is enhancing the sustainability of the cement and concrete industry! The company has already produced a total of more than 7 million truckloads of lower carbon concrete (enough to completely fill the AT&T Stadium in Texas with concrete 13 times over)! 🤯 🏗️ Cement manufacturing accounts for an estimated 7% of the world’s CO2 emissions. CarbonCure is empowering concrete producers to achieve the industry’s net zero commitment by 2050 through tech that permanently stores captured CO2 in concrete through carbon mineralization. 🙌 “We signed up for the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE motivated by the spirit of competition and a vision for how we might leverage the financial winnings to grow our success. In hindsight, we never imagined the extent of our resulting trajectory from making global headlines as an XPRIZE winner. Not only did this title accelerate our growth across North America, it fueled our entry into new markets.” - Pradeep Krishnamoorthy, Senior Director of Hardware & Product Development at CarbonCure Technologies 🌎 CarbonCure has continued to make a big impact since winning the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE. The company has been able to scale its core technology, CarbonCure Ready Mix, which is available in nearly 800 concrete plants in more than two dozen countries. 📈 The company has also been able to surpass 464,000 metric tons of carbon savings from their technologies, equivalent to removing more than 110,000 gas-powered cars from the road for a year. ✖️ Krishnamoorthy said, “XPRIZE has validated the reality that carbon utilization can and should play a key role in both global climate goals and mitigation of hard-to-abate emissions. Through XPRIZE, there is broader acceptance of CO2 not just as a waste stream, but also something that can be used to make valuable products and reduce emissions in the process.” 💡CarbonCure has more projects on the horizon. The company will continue to ramp up the deployment of their proven climate technologies, further innovate to enhance their systems that permanently remove and reduce CO2, and accelerate their growth in international markets. To learn more about CarbonCure’s work, visit here. https://lnkd.in/eVn7kGs

Interesting News! Zero-emission cement. 🟠 Cambridge researchers developed a way to recycle cement, creating ultra-low-emission concrete and reducing the carbon footprint of steel-making. 🟠 The process cuts the need for carbon-intensive lime flux, reduces cement waste, and produces material for new concrete. 🟠 Tests showed that recycled cement could be produced at scale with zero emissions using an electric arc furnace powered by renewable energy. 🟠 The method could yield 1 billion tonnes of sustainable cement annually by 2050, significantly reducing cement-related emissions. 🟠 Researchers urge reducing cement use and political support to adopt innovations for zero emissions in the construction industry. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Check out this insightful research paper: 'Cavalett, O., Watanabe, M.D.B., Voldsund, M. et al. Paving the way for sustainable decarbonization of the European cement industry. Nat Sustain (2024).'. Cement production is a main source of carbon emissions. Decarbonization options exist, but their climate change mitigation potential, feasibility and environmental implications are still unclear. Here we assess 15 decarbonization options for the European cement industry under current and future conditions. Climate impacts per tonne of clinker produced today in European countries vary between 832 and 1,075 kg CO2-equivalents. Decarbonization options at various maturity levels can mitigate between 7 and 135 Mt CO2-equivalents per year (4–108% of today’s annual emissions from European cement plants), with a range of synergies and trade-offs. Solutions such as alternative fuels or technological improvements reduce climate impacts up to 30%, while a mix of ambitious complementary measures achieves a mitigation of about 50% by 2050. Only rapid and large-scale implementation of carbon capture and storage can approach climate neutrality. Carbon capture for production of e-fuels presents no significant mitigation benefits while it increases other environmental impacts. ▶️Check out: Alternative fuels for cement plants: see link in comments below 👇 ▶️Also read the article on Future Proofing Cement Production by Matt Drew, CEO UK and Saxlund Group Business Development Manager, in an earlier issue of World Cement (registration required to access content): see link in comments below 👇 #cement #cementnews #cementindustry #icrmag #cementplant #cembureau #eu #saxlundgroup World Cement Association GCCA – Global Cement and Concrete Association, #cementalternativefuels

Cement production generates 8% of global CO2 emissions, but electrifying production with renewable energy, alongside innovations like low-carbon cement and carbon capture, can drastically reduce emissions. By combining alternative materials with green electricity, the cement sector has the potential to significantly lower its environmental impact and drive the construction industry's transition to a cleaner future. #Sustainability #Electrification #Decarbonization #GreenBuilding #ClimateAction #carboncapture

This is one smart chunk of concrete: 80% of the cement in it was replaced with coal ash waste, meaning less carbon produced to make it while repurposing a coal mining byproduct that will remain abundant for decades to come, even as we shift to renewables. Cement production generates 8% of global carbon emissions, so using less of it in concrete is good news, while coal ash makes up a fifth of all Australia’s waste. The team used a pioneering modelling technique to show their concrete – which meets Australian Standards – will perform exceptionally well over time. READ: https://lnkd.in/dfsbqSxM Well done to Chamila Gunasekara, Yuguo Yu, Professor Sujeeva Setunge, Dilan Robert and David Law for this brilliant circular economy solution: top quality research done in collaboration with industry partners like AGL to ensure it works. TREMS Hub #circulareconomy