A team of engineers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has developed a solution to decarbonize cement production , one of the largest sources of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in the world. The method, called ZeroCAL , promises to eliminate up to 98% of the CO₂ emitted during the manufacture of this essential material for the construction industry .
Portland cement, which is used as a base in almost all concrete , generates large amounts of emissions due to the breakdown of limestone , a crucial stage in its production. However, this new approach from UCLA, published in the journal Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering , uses calcium hydroxide as a clean substitute, eliminating the need to release CO₂ in the process.
ZeroCAL promises to decarbonize cement production
The ZeroCAL process , developed by the team led by Professor Gaurav Sant, takes advantage of limestone, but instead of breaking it down with fossil fuels , it uses an electrochemical method that converts lime into a zero-emission product. This, in addition to eliminating direct CO₂ emissions, generates valuable byproducts such as hydrogen , which can be used as a clean fuel to power cement kilns.
It is important to note that the researchers are already collaborating with Ultratech Cement Limited , the largest cement manufacturer in India, to implement a demonstration plant that will use this technology on a large scale. The team hopes that this approach will be key to more sustainable production not only in the cement industry, but also in steel production .
Towards a more sustainable cement industry
While the ZeroCAL process currently requires more energy than conventional methods, the UCLA team is investigating ways to improve its efficiency. By utilizing the byproducts generated in the process and targeting cement plants near water sources, this method has the potential to reach energy parity in the near future.
“ This process could revolutionize the way we think about cement production and its environmental impact ,” commented Professor Fabian Rosner, co-author of the study. “ Decarbonizing this industry is an urgent task, and ZeroCAL offers a tangible pathway to achieve this in an accessible and scalable way .”
The research has been supported by a number of institutions, including the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative and the Grantham Foundation , demonstrating the international commitment to finding solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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Source and internal photo: UCLA
Main photo: shutterstock
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