The cement and concrete industry are bringing innovative solutions and are adapting the latest processes and ingredients to shift towards greater sustainability. By adopting the right analytical strategy cement producers can bring carbon neutral cement within reach of the construction industry.
Manufacturing cement has always been a highly technical process requiring tight control of each production step. Now, the need to drive a more sustainable industry presents additional challenges. Manufacturers aim to conserve natural resources while lowering energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – all without affecting profitability. Indeed, many companies have committed to reducing their CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030 compared with 1990 and are expecting to achieve lifetime neutrality for concrete by 2050.
Achieving these goals requires continuous adjustments across the whole value chain - from raw materials Developing a CO2 - Neutral Cement & Concrete Industry to final product. Several new solutions to reduce CO2 emissions in cement production are now being explored – in particular, cutting clinker emissions and creating ‘green’ cements. As well as supporting sustainability and circularity targets, these approaches can also deliver cost reductions.
Process efficiency, energy consumption, emissions, and final product quality are all key parameters here, and are affected by a range of factors. The raw materials’ elemental and mineralogical composition and fineness, the intermediates and additives added, and the quality of any alternative fuels all have an impact on outcomes. As such, high-quality materials characterization – particularly automated solutions – is more important than ever in making these new solutions successful.
