How can the Cement Industry Enable Industrial Decarbonization at Scale?

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Industrial Chemistry
• Energy Policy

Background:

• The cement industry is a significant source of CO2 emissions, facing pressure for carbon neutrality.
• Challenges to CCS deployment include lack of infrastructure, high costs, and public perception.
• Existing carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCS) solutions require adaptation for the cement sector.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design cost-effective CCS systems for the U.S. cement industry.
• To analyze the economic viability of pipeline networks and "carbon hubs" for shared infrastructure.
• To assess the impact of early CCS adoption by the cement sector on broader industrial decarbonization.

Main Methods:

• Integrated spatial and cost modeling to design CCS systems for varying emission reduction levels.
• Analysis of pipeline network potential connecting cement facilities to "carbon hubs".
• Economic evaluation of CCS costs, considering different capture fractions and infrastructure strategies.

Main Results:

• Median capture costs range from $144/tCO2 (15% abatement) to $215/tCO2 (100% abatement).
• Connecting to carbon hubs can enable 5X emissions capture for 2X investment increase.
• The U.S. cement industry could significantly accelerate industrial CCS deployment as a first mover.

Conclusions:

• CCS is vital for decarbonizing the cement sector, but current incentives like the Section 45Q Tax Credit are insufficient for widespread investment.
• Developing shared infrastructure through carbon hubs offers a scalable and cost-effective approach to CCS deployment.
• Policy support beyond existing tax credits is necessary to facilitate the cement industry's transition to carbon neutrality.