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World’s biggest cement producers bet on green alternative

Holcim and CRH announced a $75 million investment.

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Two of the world’s biggest cement producers, Holcim AG and CRH PLC, are investing in a startup attempting to decarbonize the cement production process. Cement and concrete are responsible for about 8% of emissions, more than any other industrial sector.

Holcim and CRH announced a $75 million investment into Sublime Systems, including a promise to purchase green cement from the startup’s pilot facilities and to work with Sublime on additional plant sites. (CRH invested through its venture arm.) Somerville, Massachusetts-based Sublime has developed an electrochemical method of cement production that avoids the process of heating up limestone with kilns powered by fossil fuels.

Reducing cement emissions has long been a technological and economic challenge. Cement is essential to making concrete, and to roads, buildings and other critical infrastructure. But the material’s production generates carbon dioxide emissions from burning fuel (often coal) to heat kilns, from the decomposition of limestone and from quarrying, grinding and transforming the materials.

In tests at its 250-ton-per-year pilot plant, Sublime has been able to demonstrate a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to traditional concrete, according to Leah Ellis, co-founder and chief executive officer. The company is developing a commercial plant in Holyoke, Massachusetts, that would have a capacity of 30,000 tons per year and is set to be completed in 2026. The Energy Department’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations will fund up to 50% of that plant’s construction.

Ellis said Sublime’s goal is to provide its technology to larger cement companies with existing infrastructure and supply chains, which would either build new cement plants with the tech or retrofit old ones.

While Sublime’s process generates far fewer emissions, there are many hurdles the company and others like it need to overcome before they can commercialize successfully. One major limitation is the significant capital costs associated with retrofitting cement plants — often large, custom operations — or building new ones.

Another is demand: Low-carbon cement remains more expensive, on average, than traditional cement, making it a hard sell for a construction industry that already operates on razor-thin margins. New regulations, including New York’s mandate for state agencies to buy clean concrete, could help boost demand, said Ash Lauth, a senior campaign strategist for the global cement initiative at Industrious Labs, a US-based nonprofit focused on industrial decarbonization. But the industry still has a long way to go: Last week, Industrious Labs published an analysis that gave Holcim a “D” grade on its sustainability efforts.

“While we’re encouraged that Holcim is investing in Sublime’s innovative technology, we also still want them to show up for the rest of the ways to decarbonize… and work towards issuing a clear and transparent plan for how they’re going to decarbonize their existing US fleets,” Lauth said. Nollaig Forrest, Holcim’s chief sustainability officer, said Holcim is among “the only players in our sector that really takes a whole value chain approach to decarbonizing building at scale.”

The investment from Holcim and CRH brings Sublime’s total funding to over $200 million since its founding in 2020. It’s another signal of confidence in the startup, which was one of six projects selected for the Energy Department’s $1.6 billion program to fund cement and concrete decarbonization.

Concrete

India Sets Up First Carbon Capture Testbeds for Cement Industry

Five CCU testbeds launched to decarbonise cement production

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The Department of Science and Technology (DST) recently unveiled a pioneering national initiative: five Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds in the cement sector, forming a first-of-its-kind research and innovation cluster to combat industrial carbon emissions.
This is a significant step towards India’s Climate Action for fostering National Determined Contributions (NDCs) targets and to achieve net zero decarbonisation pathways for Industry Transition., towards the Government’s goal to achieve a carbon-neutral economy by 2070.
Carbon Capture Utilisation (CCU) holds significant importance in hard-to-abate sectors like Cement, Steel, Power, Oil &Natural Gas, Chemicals & Fertilizers in reducing emissions by capturing carbon dioxide from industrial processes and converting it to value add products such as synthetic fuels, Urea, Soda, Ash, chemicals, food grade CO2 or concrete aggregates. CCU provides a feasible pathway for these tough to decarbonise industries to lower their carbon footprint and move towards achieving Net Zero Goals while continuing their operations efficiently. DST has taken major strides in fostering R&D in the CCUS domain.
Concrete is vital for India’s economy and the Cement industry being one of the main hard-to-abate sectors, is committed to align with the national decarbonisation commitments. New technologies to decarbonise emission intensity of the cement sector would play a key role in achieving of national net zero targets.
Recognizing the critical need for decarbonising the Cement sector, the Energy and Sustainable Technology (CEST) Division of Department launched a unique call for mobilising Academia-Industry Consortia proposals for deployment of Carbon Capture Utilisation (CCU) in Cement Sector. This Special call envisaged to develop and deploy innovative CCU Test bed in Cement Sector with thrust on Developing CO2 capture + CO2 Utilisation integrated unit in an Industrial set up through an innovative Public Private Partnership (PPP) funding model.
As a unique initiative and one of its first kind in India, DST has approved setting up of five CCU testbeds for translational R&D, to be set up in Academia-Industry collaboration under this significant initiative of DST in PPP mode, engaging with premier research laboratories as knowledge partners and top Cement companies as the industry partner.
On the occasion of National Technology Day celebrations, on May 11, 2025 the 5 CCU Cement Test beds were announced and grants had been handed over to the Test bed teams by the Chief Guest, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh in the presence of Secretary DST Prof. Abhay Karandikar.
The five testbeds are not just academic experiments — they are collaborative industrial pilot projects bringing together India’s top research institutions and leading cement manufacturers under a unique Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Each testbed addresses a different facet of CCU, from cutting-edge catalysis to vacuum-based gas separation.
The outcomes of this innovative initiative will not only showcase the pathways of decarbonisation towards Net zero goals through CCU route in cement sector, but should also be a critical confidence building measure for potential stakeholders to uptake the deployed CCU technology for further scale up and commercialisation.
It is envisioned that through continuous research and innovation under these test beds in developing innovative catalysts, materials, electrolyser technology, reactors, and electronics, the cost of Green Cement via the deployed CCU technology in Cement Sector may considerably be made more sustainable.
Secretary DBT Dr Rajesh Gokhale, Dr Ajai Choudhary, Co-Founder HCL, Dr. Rajesh Pathak, Secretary, TDB, Dr Anita Gupta Head CEST, DST and Dr Neelima Alam, Associate Head, DST were also present at the programme organized at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.

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JK Lakshmi Adopts EVs to Cut Emissions in Logistics

Electric vehicles deployed between JK Puram and Kalol units

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JK Lakshmi Cement, a key player in the Indian cement industry, has announced the deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) in its logistics operations. This move, made in partnership with SwitchLabs Automobiles, will see EVs transporting goods between the JK Puram Plant in Sirohi, Rajasthan, and the Kalol Grinding Unit in Gujarat.
The announcement follows a successful pilot project that showcased measurable reductions in carbon emissions while maintaining efficiency. Building on this, the company is scaling up EV integration to enhance sustainability across its supply chain.
“Sustainability is integral to our vision at JK Lakshmi Cement. Our collaboration with SwitchLabs Automobiles reflects our continued focus on driving innovation in our logistics operations while taking responsibility for our environmental footprint. This initiative positions us as a leader in transforming the cement sector’s logistics landscape,” said Arun Shukla, President & Director, JK Lakshmi Cement.
This deployment marks a significant step in aligning with India’s push for greener transport infrastructure. By embracing clean mobility, JK Lakshmi Cement is setting an example for the industry, demonstrating that environmental responsibility can go hand in hand with operational efficiency.
The company continues to embed sustainability into its operations as part of a broader goal to reduce its carbon footprint. This initiative adds to its vision of building a more sustainable and eco-friendly future.
JK Lakshmi Cement, part of the 135-year-old JK Organisation, began operations in 1982 and has grown to become a recognised name in Indian cement. With a presence across Northern, Western, and Eastern India, the company has a cement capacity of 16.5 MTPA, with a target to reach 30 MT by 2030. Its product range includes ready-mix concrete, gypsum plaster, wall putty, and autoclaved aerated fly ash blocks.

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Holcim UK drives sustainable construction

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Holcim UK has released a report titled ‘Making Sustainable Construction a Reality,’ outlining its five-fold commitment to a greener future. The company aims to focus on decarbonisation, circular economy principles, smarter building methods, community engagement, and integrating nature. Based on a survey of 2,000 people, only 41 per cent felt urban spaces in the UK are sustainably built. A significant majority (82 per cent) advocated for more green spaces, 69 per cent called for government leadership in sustainability, and 54 per cent saw businesses as key players. Additionally, 80 per cent of respondents stressed the need for greater transparency from companies regarding their environmental practices.

Image source:holcim

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