The results of Sebastian Quevedo’s PhD research on the electrification of the cement industry were presented during the 2025 Innovandi – GCCA Spring Week (17–21 March, Panama City). This work, developed at Politecnico di Milano under the supervision of Prof. Matteo C. Romano, was part of a three-year project funded by the Global Cement & Concrete Association (GCCA) to explore electrification as a viable pathway for decarbonizing cement production.
The research involved a comprehensive literature review on electrification technologies suited to clinker production, followed by process modeling and a techno-economic assessment comparing electrified cement plants with carbon capture-based decarbonization strategies. Further developments included the design of a flexible electrified cement plant and a mixed integer linear programming model to evaluate the role of renewable electricity variability under different cost scenarios. The study concluded with a high-level comparison of the willingness-to-pay for electricity in an electrified cement industry relative to other industrial sectors within an EU framework.
By identifying key challenges and opportunities, this project contributes to shaping the transition towards net-zero cement production by 2050.
