According to The Next Web, technicians at Sweden-based Cemvision managed to create an alternative to limestone cement, by processing industrial byproducts, such as steel and mining leftovers.

Oscar Hållén, CEO of Cemvision, said that "we're on track to producing cement that emits 95% less carbon than traditional methods while remaining just as strong and potentially even faster-drying."

Some 60% of the emissions released by the cement industry come from heating the limestone, which breaks down calcium carbonate into calcium oxide and carbon dioxide, but using Cemvision's solution, this step is skipped, meaning that the associated emissions are gone, too.

Regarding the other 40% of the CO2 emissions that cement manufacturers release, these come from the fuels required to heat the limestone, which are mostly polluting coal or oil, while in the EU, even waste is burned to allow the process to take place.

Cemvision currently operates a pilot plant in Poland, which is powered entirely by biofuel and is able to produce 4,000 tons of sustainable cement per year. Since the Swedish company is able to produce cement at much lower temperatures, the CO2 output is way lower than other industry representatives.

Company officials said that their solution can act like a drop-in replacement in the existing infrastructure, enabling its rapid adoption, as cement users are asking for less-polluting alternatives.

Regarding the 10 million euros investment, the CEO of Cemvision said that it "will move us into the next phase of growth, which includes refining our technology, securing new customers, and growing our team."

Other green cement manufacturers choose to sell their products through larger companies, but Cemvision wants to sell directly to customers, whether we're talking about construction companies or renewable energy developers. Globally, the cement market is evaluated at around 400 billion USD.

Photo source: TNW