The big problem with cement, and how to fix it. Chapter 2.

so let's examine another method that cement contributes to emissions: the method of chemistry.This is the carbon that the heated limestone has released.It transforms into clinker, the main binder in cement, after passing through the kiln.And in concrete, cement holds the rocks, sand, and water together.

The majority of concrete's emissions come from cement, which makes up around 10% of the material.Therefore, one tactic is to come up with a clinker replacement.Startups have been competing to create a brand-new type of green cement that completely avoids clinker.But as of now, nothing is as cheap and useful as the limestone-based material.Additionally, it requires a lot of work and safety testing to modify concrete formulations.with justification.

The recent incidents in Turkey involved the usage of a lot of subpar cement and some questionable construction methods.
Due to safety regulations, clinker makes up 90% of the cement in North America.
But in comparison to the rest of the globe, North America is unduly cautious.
In 2020, the global average clinker-to-cement ratio was at 72%That is made possible by alternatives that resemble clinker.

We could further lower the clinker ratio.
One novel cement formulation that securely reduces the clinker ratio to 50% by adding additional clay and raw limestone was highlighted by experts.So that's with a technology that already exists and complies with building regulations.This will reduce cement and concrete sector emissions by half.

These cuts will aid in lowering emissions, but until we develop a cement that is scalable and emits no emissions, all clinker production will eventually produce process emissions.This brings us to the final step in the decarbonization process.To get there, the cement industry will need to adopt carbon capture and storage.There is no avoiding it.

This would include storing the carbon that is released into the atmosphere due to the heat and chemical reactions taking place right now deep within a geologic deposit.
One of the first cement plants in the world is being tested by a Norwegian cement firm.

to capture carbon worldwide.
And they'll keep it in their oil and gas reserves beneath the North Sea.A few new businesses are also figuring out how to reintroduce carbon that has been saved during production into cement and concrete.This makes use of the carbon-absorption capacity of rocks.And who knows, maybe one day our built environment which we typically don't think about when we think about big, concrete cities, big buildings, our roads, and all that will even turn into a carbon sink.So in this situation, we get net zero emissions for this structure.And getting there by 2050 is the current target.

To do it, we must act swiftly and forcefully.
especially in China, the largest producer in the world.However, specialists informed me that there is some good news there.Therefore, a cement plant in the US is typically 34 to 35 years old.With a value of 15,many of China's plants are actually more energy-efficient than those in the United States.China uses less clinker than the typical country and is working on at least one carbon capture project.But there is still much to be done.

They revised the target date for peak building emissions from 2025 to 2030 last year.
Process changes for the production of cement and concretewill be the simplest to put into practice. yet carbon capture and storage is still in its infancy.And the cost of all this will be high.It is anticipated that the cost of the cement used in this structure will increase by between 70 and 115%.The price of cement or concrete makes up a very minor portion of the project's total cost.In order to absorb the green premium, it is therefore relatively simple and cost-effective for a government agency to commit..