Carbon Capture Is Now Delivering Greener Cement, But the Biggest Challenge Remains Scale

New data from the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) shows that although first-of-a-kind carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects are now operational, less than 2% of total global emissions from the cement industry are projected to be captured by 2035.

Carbon capture is a critical pathway for cement decarbonization, with the world’s first commercial-scale facility now operational in Norway, and more reportedly on the way. The latest update to the LeadIT Green Cement Technology Tracker maps more than 175 projects worldwide across all stages of development, covering both carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) and calcined clay kiln technologies. Heidelberg Materials’ Brevik plant is now capturing approximately 0.4 megatonnes of CO₂ annually – the biggest project to date. Several additional projects are expected to come online between 2026 and 2027, with 38 projected by 2035.

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The world’s first commercial project is an important breakthrough, but scaling the impact of this technology could be limited without significant support and infrastructure. When the projects currently planned become operational, the total volume of captured emissions would represent less than 2% of the sector’s overall footprint by 2035, highlighting a critical gap between ambition and impact.

Topline Findings of the Analysis Include:

Policy and infrastructure are decisive success factors. The LeadIT analysis finds that government support is a decisive feature of early full-scale carbon capture projects in the cement sector. The Brevik facility in Norway, for example, benefited from a funding model covering more than 80% of capital costs. Conversely, projects in Sweden and California have been delayed, paused or cancelled after failing to secure, or losing government finance. This suggests that public finance and risk-sharing are currently vital in bringing full-scale cement CCS projects to completion.

Access to CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure is another critical enabling factor. Every project currently advancing relies on shared networks such as those in the North Sea or the Adriatic Sea. Without these systems, projects cannot move forward regardless of technological readiness.

Global momentum shifts to Asia. After years of steady growth, new cement carbon capture project announcements slowed sharply in 2025, with just 12 projects announced globally. Only three of these were commercial scale, down from a peak of 15 in 2024. Asia led in total announcements for the first time, overtaking Europe, although all large-scale projects were still in Europe.

Despite this trend, the slowdown should not be seen as proof of slowing momentum. The sector is in an early commercialization stage, where the successful delivery of first-of-a-kind large-scale projects is more significant for building confidence and unlocking future investments, rather than the number of announcements.

Major projects are scheduled for a 2026 opening. Based on the most recent public update in 2023, Heidelberg plans to commission its Edmonton CCS Project in late 2026. This facility will have more than twice the carbon capture capacity of the Brevik plant, at about 1 Mt CO₂ per year from 1.4 Mt/year cement production capacity. Three smaller-scale demonstration projects are anticipated to go online in 2026, in Canada, Germany and Austria.

Why Carbon Capture Is Critical

Concrete is the world’s most widely used material after water, with around 30 billion tonnes consumed each year. Production of cement, a critical component of concrete, reached 4 billion tonnes in 2024 and accounts for roughly 8% of global CO₂ emissions. The sector has a growing portfolio of viable low-carbon solutions, including clinker substitution, alternative clinker chemistries, and electrified kilns, but no single technology has yet emerged as a complete substitute for conventional cement on a global scale. Consequently, carbon capture is widely recognized as a major lever for cutting the sector’s emissions. Estimates suggest it could deliver more than one-third of the reductions required to reach net zero.

Tracking the Transition

The Green Cement Technology Tracker provides a comprehensive view of global progress, covering both CCUS and calcined clay kiln projects. This latest update focuses on CCUS developments, with a companion analysis on calcined clay technologies to be released later this year.

The full dataset, including detailed project-level information, is available for download on the LeadIT website.

Read the LeadIT analysis