Techno-economic analysis of sustainable cements implementation for key cities in India

Abstract

The cement industry continues to be an important sector that aids human civilization towards greater advancement. However, the high carbon intensity of Ordinary Portland cement production, the most popular and widespread type of cement, constitutes almost 5-8% of all anthropogenic CO2 emissions. The current anxieties and sensitivities towards global climate change and heightened environmental consciousness has called for a synthesis of methods to decarbonize industries. Such options include higher degrees of implementation of alternative cements and other methods of carbon reduction such as carbon capture systems. Alternative cements, in particular, have been available for some time, but have not been widely popularized or realized in practice. In addition, large corporations that write specifications have tended to perceive alternative cements in a financially riskier light. This thesis explores the potential benefits of these alternative choices by using a resource and geography-based lens to assess seven different types of alternative cements in India – mainly Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Jaipur and Kanpur. With respect to alternative cements, this thesis will determine relative adoption potentials through studying the supply-side logistics of manufacturing cements, the Indian cement industry and potential trends. Then, the alternatives are compared to carbon capture and storage (CCS) systems on means of decarbonizing cement production. The geographic and economic feasibility of CCS are examined alongside relative cost of CO2 abatement. Resource allocation savings would vary based on the resource availabilities for each type of cement in different areas. By selecting specific alternatives, CO2 emissions could be cut by one-fourth to one-half at economically competitive costs. In some areas, LC3, bagasse ash PPC, or calcium sulfoaluminate cements may already be economically viable and will not require a cost of abatement to incentivize widespread implementation. More resource-scarce areas will still need to consume OPC, which points to the logistical possibility of having incumbent and nascent industries coexist. For carbon capture and storage systems, findings corroborated general consensus that more research is needed to make this option more viable. The high cost and geological constraints of India will pose as a challenge to the further implementation of CCS as a widespread option.