Cemex Ventures – Fostering the construction revolution

Cement is responsible for a significant share of global CO₂ emissions, commonly estimated at around 7–8%, according to the International Energy Agency and the Global Cement and Concrete Association. This is not a marginal footprint. It places cement among the most emissions-intensive industrial sectors worldwide.

What makes cement particularly difficult to decarbonize is the dual origin of its emissions:

Process emissions, released during the calcination of limestone into clinker

Energy emissions, driven by the need for sustained high-temperature heat (above 1,400°C)

As a result, decarbonizing cement is not simply a matter of switching to renewable energy. It requires rethinking both the chemistry and the industrial processes that underpin production.

Structural constraints: why cement is hard to abate

Cement production is constrained by a combination of physical, chemical, and economic factors that limit the pace of transition.

Key challenges include:

Clinker dependency, which remains central to cement performance and accounts for the majority of emissions

Long asset lifecycles, with plants designed to operate for decades

High capital intensity, making large-scale retrofits complex and costly

Strict performance requirements, particularly in structural applications

According to the International Energy Agency, cement is classified as a “hard-to-abate” sector precisely because emissions are embedded in both energy use and industrial processes.

Decarbonization, therefore, requires systemic change—not incremental optimization.

From targets to action: aligning ambition with measurable pathways

Across the industry, climate ambition is increasingly being translated into measurable and time-bound targets.

For example, Cemex has established a net-zero CO₂ target by 2050, supported by intermediate goals aligned with science-based methodologies. These targets reflect a broader industry shift toward accountability and transparency.

However, targets alone do not deliver decarbonization. The critical step lies in translating ambition into operational pathways:

Iidentifying viable technologies

Prioritizing scalable solutions

Integrating innovation into existing industrial systems

This transition, from commitment to execution, is where most of the complexity resides.

Core technology pathways to net-zero cement

There is no single solution capable of decarbonizing cement. Progress depends on the combination of multiple technological pathways.

Clinker reduction and novel materials

Reducing clinker content is one of the most immediate and effective levers. This includes:

Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs)

Next-generation cement formulations

These approaches aim to reduce emissions while maintaining performance and durability.

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS)

Because process emissions cannot be fully eliminated, CCUS is widely considered a critical decarbonisation lever for the cement industry.

According to theGlobal Cement and Concrete Association , CCUS could reduce carbon emissions by 36%, potentially making it the largest lever to reduce the cement industry’s emissions.

However, several key challenges remain:

High costs and questions around scalability

Limeted infrastructure for CO₂ transport and storage

Regulatory and permitting frameworks

Energy transition

Energy-related emissions can be reduced through:

Energy efficiency improvements (efficient grinding technologies, waste heat recovery and process optimization)

Alternative fuels (biomass, waste-derived fuels)

Electrification of industrial processes (e.g. fully electric kilns)

Hydrogen as a potential long-term solution

The Global Cement and Concrete Association highlights alternative fuels as one of the most advanced levers currently being deployed at scale.

Digital optimization

Digital technologies contribute to emissions reduction and operational performance improvements by increasing efficiency and reducing energy consumption

Energy management systems

While individually incremental, these improvements can deliver meaningful emissions reductions at scale.

The role of emerging technologies in accelerating change

Innovation in cement is no longer confined to large industrial players.

A growing group of Cemex Ventures portfolio companies is advancing decarbonization across the construction value chain, from low-carbon cementitious materials and carbon utilization to process optimization, alternative fuels, and embodied carbon intelligence. Together, these startups reflect a broader industry shift: decarbonization is no longer driven by a single breakthrough, but by a new generation of specialized technologies tackling emissions at multiple points across industrial operations and the built environment.

This transformation is unfolding against a well-established backdrop. Cement production is widely estimated to account for around 7–8% of global CO₂ emissions, while long-term demand is expected to remain resilient as urbanization and infrastructure development continue worldwide. In that context, the challenge is not whether the sector needs to decarbonize, but how quickly scalable solutions can be deployed across existing value chains.

Cemex Ventures’ portfolio offers a clear view of where that innovation is gaining traction. Carbon Upcycling and Terra CO2 are developing lower-carbon cementitious materials and alternatives to conventional supplementary cementitious materials, helping reduce clinker intensity and embodied emissions. Optimitive applies AI to optimize industrial processes in real time, improving efficiency and lowering energy consumption in heavy industry environments. WtEnergy is advancing waste-to-syngas technology to replace fossil fuels in high-heat industrial applications. And Vizcab enables more informed decision-making around embodied carbon, equipping construction stakeholders with the data needed to measure, manage, and reduce emissions across the building lifecycle.

From innovation to deployment: the scaling challenge

One of the defining challenges in cement decarbonization is not the lack of innovation, but the difficulty of scaling it.

Key barriers include:

Integration into existing industrial infrastructure

Maintaining cost competitiveness

Ensuring reliability at scale

Aligning with regulatory and market conditions

According to the International Energy Agency, scaling low-emissions technologies remains one of the primary bottlenecks in hard-to-abate sectors.

In this context, collaboration between industrial players, startups, and investors becomes essential.

Progress to date: early signals of industrial transformation

Despite these challenges, progress is already underway.

Across the sector, companies are:

Reducing clinker ratios

Increasing the use of alternative fuels

Piloting carbon capture technologies

Investing in next-generation materials

Industry roadmaps, including those from the Global Cement and Concrete Association, indicate that these levers are already contributing to emissions reductions, even if full-scale deployment remains in progress.

The path forward: convergence of technology, capital, and industry

Decarbonizing cement will require the convergence of three critical elements:

Technology, to enable new production pathways

Industrial capability, to deploy solutions at scale

Capital, to support long-term transformation

No single innovation will define the transition. Instead, success will depend on how effectively multiple solutions are integrated within real-world industrial systems.

The path to net-zero cement will not be defined by isolated breakthroughs, but by the ability to scale and operate a portfolio of technologies under real economic and operational constraints.