IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute

This brief provides data and information on a major cement plant in Gotland, Sweden, with a focus on technologies, energy flows, and decarbonization pathways. It highlights key challenges, current practices, and opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in cement production. By mapping material and energy flows, this review aims to identify key sources of CO₂ emissions, assess the potential impacts that the introduction of new process technologies at the cement plant may have on the local energy system, and explore the viability of alternative binders and fuels, including biofuels, in reducing environmental impacts.

Current technologies are reviewed to provide an overview of existing practices and their environmental impacts, including energy demands and carbon footprints. Strategies for energy optimization are discussed, highlighting ways to enhance efficiency without compromising production output. The review also delves into the prospects for carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, including amine absorption, and discusses the associated implementation challenges, such as high energy demands and costs The methodology includes a comprehensive literature review to gather data on state-of-the-art techniques and expert consultations, particularly involving stakeholders from Heidelberg Materials’ Slite plant.

Challenges such as data limitations, uncertainty around emerging technologies, and variability in energy requirements due to CCS implementation are identified as critical considerations. The collected data will serve as input for further analysis within the project “Concrete action in the cement industry and the cement and concrete supply chain”, which adopts a systems perspective to explore strategies for radically reducing greenhouse gas emissions related to production and use of cement and concrete.