The flyash-based cement market will more than double to US$47 billion by 2018, according to independent research and advisory firm Lux Research. The market growth will be driven by the industry’s sustainability goals, as the use of flyash is one of the simplest and most cost-effective options to reduce carbon emissions during the cement production process. However, without new innovations, overall industry emissions could still rise by approximately 31% in five years due to increased global production.
“Cement accounts for 6% of human carbon emissions and the industry is growing rapidly. Flyash can help, but cement makers will need to make greater use of natural gas and concentrated solar power, as well as other material substitutions, to keep the absolute emissions at the same level over the next five years,” said Aditya Ranade, Lux Research Senior Analyst.
Lux Research analysts evaluated the low-carbon cement innovation landscape, assessing the opportunities to reduce emissions. The analysts found that:
- Thermo-chemically treated fly ash has potential: standard fly ash has an upper limit of 50% without compromising on mechanical properties and durability; however, newer thermo-chemically treated flyash from companies such as Ash Improvement Technology (AIT) and Ceratech can provide an alternative to ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in a mix.
- Concentrated solar can be disruptive: Stuart Licht, George Washington University, has developed a way to use concentrated solar to power cement production, which has the potential to be a major force in the cement industry in as soon as five years.
- Ecocem, Ceratech and AIT are some of the most promising companies: among start-ups developing technologies that enable low-carbon cement/concrete products, companies such as Ecocem, Ceratech and AIT have gained significant market traction.
Adapted from press release by Rosalie Starling