Friday 2 April 2021

California cement industry unveils plan to reach carbon-neutrality by 2045

The California Nevada Cement Association (CNCA) has unveiled its plan for the industry to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2045.

Its roadmap outlines three major pathways to carbon-neutrality – reducing manufacturing process emissions, reducing combustion emissions through fuel switching and increasing distributed electricity generation.

One of the technologies it plans to invest in is carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS), which can offer a carbon capture rate of more than 90% of process and combustion emissions, however, projects are extremely capital intensive and lengthy permitting processes add uncertainty.

CNCA says many of the technologies, fuels, materials and processes for dramatically reducing the industry's emissions footprint already exist, however, barriers including statutory, regulatory and permitting hurdles, market acceptance barriers, cost challenges, supply limitations and technology gaps delay or constrain their deployment and limit their impact.

It believes more can and must be done to create the necessary conditions for the industry to move forward with large-scale, long term investments in emissions reduction.

Tom Tietz, Executive Director of CNCA said: “Releasing this industry-wide roadmap is an exciting and critical step toward carbon-neutrality.

“However, we cannot get to net zero alone and this roadmap is also an invitation for state leaders, environmental groups and stakeholders throughout the cement-concrete-construction value chain to collaborate on pursuing this bold goal.”