Green cement and building materials intelligence
Cement decarbonization, alternative binders, and construction materials innovation.
Cement production is responsible for approximately 8% of global CO₂ emissions — more than aviation and shipping combined. Unlike most industrial sectors, roughly two-thirds of cement emissions come not from burning fuel but from the chemical decomposition of limestone (calcination), making the sector uniquely difficult to decarbonize through fuel switching alone.
The industry is pursuing multiple decarbonization pathways simultaneously: carbon capture and storage (CCS) on existing clinker kilns, supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) that reduce the clinker-to-cement ratio, novel low-carbon binder chemistries that avoid limestone entirely, electrification of kiln heating, and hydrogen or biomass as alternative fuels for kiln operation. CCS is widely considered essential for deep decarbonization of cement, given the unavoidable process emissions from calcination.
Major cement producers — HeidelbergMaterials, Holcim, CEMEX, CRH — have announced significant decarbonization investments. HeidelbergMaterials' Brevik plant in Norway is deploying the world's first full-scale CCS system at a cement plant. Holcim is investing in novel binder technologies and circular construction materials. The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) are creating growing economic pressure for European cement producers to invest in abatement.
Delphidata tracks cement decarbonization projects across CCUS integration, alternative fuel and raw material programs, novel binder technology development, and the policy frameworks driving investment. Coverage connects cement plant data to carbon capture technology providers, CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure, and the broader construction materials innovation landscape.
What Delphidata tracks.
Structured data across the full value chain.
CCUS-equipped cement plants
Carbon capture installations at cement production facilities — post-combustion capture, oxyfuel technology, and calcium looping. Mapped with capture technology, capacity (tonnes CO₂/year), capture rate, CO₂ transport and storage solution, investment value, and development timeline.
Alternative fuels and materials
Hydrogen, biomass, and waste-derived fuels replacing coal and petcoke in cement kilns. Supplementary cementitious materials (fly ash, slag, calcined clay) reducing clinker ratio. Tracking adoption rates, investment programs, and emissions reduction achieved.
Novel binder technologies
Low-carbon and carbon-negative cement chemistries — geopolymers, LC3 (limestone calcined clay cement), magnesium-based cements, and biocement. Tracking technology developers, demonstration projects, standards acceptance, and commercial readiness.
Companies and strategies
Major cement producers' decarbonization roadmaps, capital expenditure commitments, SBTi targets, and technology partnerships. Tracked alongside their production portfolio, kiln fleet, and geographic exposure to carbon pricing.
Policy and carbon economics
EU ETS free allocation phase-out for cement, CBAM implementation timeline, national green public procurement standards for low-carbon concrete, and green building certification requirements driving demand for low-carbon cement.
Who uses this intelligence.
Cement producers
Benchmark decarbonization strategies against peers, evaluate CCUS technology options for specific plant configurations, track competitor investments, and assess the commercial viability of alternative binder adoption.
Carbon capture technology providers
Identify cement plants approaching investment decisions for CCUS retrofits, track competitor technology deployments, and assess the pipeline of cement sector carbon capture demand by region.
Construction companies and developers
Monitor the availability and cost of low-carbon cement products, track green building material certification, and plan for compliance with green public procurement requirements.
Investors and ESG analysts
Assess cement companies' exposure to rising carbon costs, evaluate the credibility of decarbonization commitments against actual investment data, and screen low-carbon building materials opportunities.