A new large-scale trial is combining technologies from the steel and cement industries to help decarbonize one of the planet’s most polluting products. The approach, detailed in a *Nature* paper, involves using electric furnaces from steel recycling to process cement recovered from demolished buildings. Researchers aim to eventually run the entire operation on renewable energy.
The method leverages a concept similar to electrical fuses, using recycled cement as a flux in the steel-melting process. This innovation produces usable slag, which can be converted back into cement. Traditional cement production contributes around 7% of global carbon emissions, whereas this new process aims to significantly reduce those emissions.
Claude Lorea, innovation and ESG director for the Global Cement and Concrete Association, noted the crowded field of green cement initiatives but emphasized the importance of a holistic approach to decarbonization. The new method faces challenges, including its incompatibility with existing cement production facilities, the need for reliable renewable energy, and developing the necessary supply chain.
Despite these hurdles, the project is advancing to large-scale trials. Spanish company Celsa Group will test the process in Cardiff, Wales, with initial production expected to reach 30 tons per hour. This method addresses emissions from both the high-temperature heating of cement and the clinkering process by using an electric arc furnace, which can be powered by renewable energy. Additionally, recycling cement reduces the need for further decarbonization of limestone.
The researchers, working under the name Cambridge Electric Cement, have applied for a patent and established a spinoff company. They have partnered with engineering firm AtkinsRéalis and infrastructure group Balfour Beatty for industrial trials, aiming to use the new cement in demonstration projects. The team projects that by 2050, their method could supply up to 25% of global cement demand.
Celsa Group has reported that small-scale tests have met specifications, and the method could potentially be scaled globally. As demand for green construction materials rises, this new method offers a promising path towards zero-emission cement production.
