The transforming foundation industries – cement 2 zero

Concrete is one of the most widely used materials on Earth, however, the chemical and thermal processes involved in cement production are a significant source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. They account for approximately 7% of global CO2 emissions.

Cement 2 Zero (C2Z) is a UK-based demonstrator project to trial the world’s first zero-emissions cement on an industrial scale, aiming to further advance the construction, cement and steel sectors’ decarbonisation journey to net zero industries of the future. The Cement 2 Zero project will investigate both the technical and commercial aspects of upscaling Cambridge Electric Cement (CEC) production to produce 20 tonnes of the world’s first zero-emissions cement.

The breakthrough process, developed by Dr. Cyrille Dunant and his team at Cambridge, converts construction waste to cement over molten steel using an electric arc furnace (EAF). This method, powered by renewable electricity, produces zero-emissions cement and could transform the recycling and construction industries, significantly reducing CO2 emissions. The project exemplifies a major step towards a sustainable future, aligning with global efforts to reduce emissions and promote greener foundation industries.