7
the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute (Global
CCS Institute, 2024) reveals that no operational CCS facil-
ities currently exist within the U.S. cement manufacturing
sector (Table 2). However, two facilities are scheduled to
commence operations within the next two years.
It is crucial for researchers keen on developing novel
cement chemistries, technologies, and raw materials modi-
fications to identify their final product’s properties, per-
formance and conformance to industry standards. These
complexities affect both manufacturers and consumers.
While consumers often require specific material proper-
ties to meet industry standards, some proposed low-carbon
solutions—such as supplementary cementitious materials
(SCMs) or clinker replacement—face significant scaling
challenges. Although various alternative raw materials have
shown promise in laboratory studies, most remain unde-
ployable for large-scale industrial production at present.
We propose that effective near-term decarbonization of
the cement industry (following any of the pathways shown
in Figure 2) must prioritize proven and scalable technolo-
gies. While supporting long-term research and develop-
ment initiatives, the immediate adoption of low-carbon
or zero-emission cement technologies should focus on
solutions that have demonstrated viability for large-scale
manufacture. This approach enables immediate progress
toward climate goals while maintaining support for long-
term research and development of emerging zero-emission
cement technologies. The Members of the Decarbonized
Cement and Concrete Alliance (DC2) have developed scal-
able, low-carbon and zero-emission cement manufactur-
ing technologies that demonstrate significant potential for
achieving U.S. decarbonization objectives (DC2, 2024).
The economic and technical viability of these innovations
is evidenced by both private and public sector support:
major global cement manufacturers, such as Holcim and
CRH, have made strategic investments in DC2 member
companies like Sublime Systems (Bloomberg, 2024), while
the federal government has provided substantial funding
support through initiatives such as federal buy clean initia-
tive and Inflation Reduction Act, allocating $4.5billion to
accelerate the development and commercialization of these
technologies (The White House,2024).
FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
CEMENT MANUFACTURE AND
DECARBONIZATION IN THE UNITED
STATES
The outlook for cement decarbonization in the U.S. is
not just an environmental imperative — it is crucial for
maintaining America’s cement industry competitiveness
in an increasingly climate-conscious global economy. As
market demand (local and international) for low-carbon
construction materials continues to grow amidst mounting
regulatory pressures such as the European Union’s Carbon
Border Adjustment Mechanism (European Union, 2024),
the U.S. must ensure its cement industry has access to
advanced technologies and innovative solutions required
for sustainable production before losing its competitiveness
in the global construction materials sector. The potential
large-scale commercialization of technologies developed
by emerging startups, for example those by DC2 members
could significantly advance the U.S. toward achieving its
climate goals of reaching cement sector emission abatement
of about 30% and 40% by 2030 and 2050, respectively
(U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),2023). Realistically,
Table 2. Cement and concrete industry CCS facilities in the USA
Cement Company Facility Category Facility Status Location Operational Comment
Holcim Cement Commercial CCS
Facility
Advanced
Development
Colorado 2025 Projected to capture 1.0–
2.0 million tonnes of CO
2 per year
Holcim Ste.
Genevieve Cement
Plant
Commercial CCS
Facility
Advanced
Development
Missouri Under
Evaluation
*Projected to reduce net CO
2 emissions by more than 400,000
tonnes per year
Mitchell
Heidelberg
Materials CCUS
Commercial CCS
Facility
Advanced
Development
Indiana Under
Evaluation
Projected to capture 2 million
tonnes of CO2 per year and store it
in a local deep saline formation
National Cement
Lebec CCS
Commercial CCS
Facility
Early
Development
California Under
Evaluation
†Capture and sequester about
950,000 metric tonnes of CO2 per
year
Sugar Creek
Cement Plant
Pilot and
Demonstration CCS
Facility
Advanced
Development
Missouri 2026 Projected to capture 30 tonnes of
CO
2 per day
*Holcim (2023) † U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) (2024)
the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute (Global
CCS Institute, 2024) reveals that no operational CCS facil-
ities currently exist within the U.S. cement manufacturing
sector (Table 2). However, two facilities are scheduled to
commence operations within the next two years.
It is crucial for researchers keen on developing novel
cement chemistries, technologies, and raw materials modi-
fications to identify their final product’s properties, per-
formance and conformance to industry standards. These
complexities affect both manufacturers and consumers.
While consumers often require specific material proper-
ties to meet industry standards, some proposed low-carbon
solutions—such as supplementary cementitious materials
(SCMs) or clinker replacement—face significant scaling
challenges. Although various alternative raw materials have
shown promise in laboratory studies, most remain unde-
ployable for large-scale industrial production at present.
We propose that effective near-term decarbonization of
the cement industry (following any of the pathways shown
in Figure 2) must prioritize proven and scalable technolo-
gies. While supporting long-term research and develop-
ment initiatives, the immediate adoption of low-carbon
or zero-emission cement technologies should focus on
solutions that have demonstrated viability for large-scale
manufacture. This approach enables immediate progress
toward climate goals while maintaining support for long-
term research and development of emerging zero-emission
cement technologies. The Members of the Decarbonized
Cement and Concrete Alliance (DC2) have developed scal-
able, low-carbon and zero-emission cement manufactur-
ing technologies that demonstrate significant potential for
achieving U.S. decarbonization objectives (DC2, 2024).
The economic and technical viability of these innovations
is evidenced by both private and public sector support:
major global cement manufacturers, such as Holcim and
CRH, have made strategic investments in DC2 member
companies like Sublime Systems (Bloomberg, 2024), while
the federal government has provided substantial funding
support through initiatives such as federal buy clean initia-
tive and Inflation Reduction Act, allocating $4.5billion to
accelerate the development and commercialization of these
technologies (The White House,2024).
FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
CEMENT MANUFACTURE AND
DECARBONIZATION IN THE UNITED
STATES
The outlook for cement decarbonization in the U.S. is
not just an environmental imperative — it is crucial for
maintaining America’s cement industry competitiveness
in an increasingly climate-conscious global economy. As
market demand (local and international) for low-carbon
construction materials continues to grow amidst mounting
regulatory pressures such as the European Union’s Carbon
Border Adjustment Mechanism (European Union, 2024),
the U.S. must ensure its cement industry has access to
advanced technologies and innovative solutions required
for sustainable production before losing its competitiveness
in the global construction materials sector. The potential
large-scale commercialization of technologies developed
by emerging startups, for example those by DC2 members
could significantly advance the U.S. toward achieving its
climate goals of reaching cement sector emission abatement
of about 30% and 40% by 2030 and 2050, respectively
(U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),2023). Realistically,
Table 2. Cement and concrete industry CCS facilities in the USA
Cement Company Facility Category Facility Status Location Operational Comment
Holcim Cement Commercial CCS
Facility
Advanced
Development
Colorado 2025 Projected to capture 1.0–
2.0 million tonnes of CO
2 per year
Holcim Ste.
Genevieve Cement
Plant
Commercial CCS
Facility
Advanced
Development
Missouri Under
Evaluation
*Projected to reduce net CO
2 emissions by more than 400,000
tonnes per year
Mitchell
Heidelberg
Materials CCUS
Commercial CCS
Facility
Advanced
Development
Indiana Under
Evaluation
Projected to capture 2 million
tonnes of CO2 per year and store it
in a local deep saline formation
National Cement
Lebec CCS
Commercial CCS
Facility
Early
Development
California Under
Evaluation
†Capture and sequester about
950,000 metric tonnes of CO2 per
year
Sugar Creek
Cement Plant
Pilot and
Demonstration CCS
Facility
Advanced
Development
Missouri 2026 Projected to capture 30 tonnes of
CO
2 per day
*Holcim (2023) † U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) (2024)