Work

Air Emissions Impacts of Fuel Substitution in the United States Cement Industry

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: High-heat industrial processes cannot be easily electrified, often rely on comparatively high-emitting solid fuels, and are essential for economic growth. Cement production in particular is critical to supporting construction and the expansion and maintenance of infrastructure systems in countries around the world. Fuels for cement production include petcoke, coal, and waste solvents, and their combustion contributes approximately 40% of the CO2 emissions from global cement production. Broadening the fuel resources to include agricultural residues and other wastes can reduce emissions and divert waste from landfills. We assess the potential to use 16 different alternative fuels across the 88 integrated cement plants in the United States. The share of alternative fuels in the cement production sector could increase from the current level of 17% to as high as 73%. Fuel substitution can reduce the current fuel-related life-cycle emissions (28.6 ± 5.7 Mton CO2/year) by 19-45%. The greatest national-scale human health cobenefits occur when alternative fuels are prioritized at facilities currently using coal and petcoke. NOx emissions outcomes from this strategy are mixed, but SOx and particulate matter emissions reductions drive net human health benefits. These results suggest that targeted fuel substitution in heavy industries can yield outsized emissions benefits.

Source: Environmental Science & Technology

DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5c18471

Authors: Anaís Ostroski, Vi H. Rapp, Corinne D. Scown

Institutions: University of California, Berkeley, Joint BioEnergy Institute

Language: English

Topic: Concrete and Cement Materials Research

Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Climate action, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,500