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How could reducing the amount of clinker in cement help lower emissions?

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Cement The cement-making process, from crushing and grinding of raw materials, through roasting of the ground and mixed ingredients, to final cooling and storing of the finished product.

Reducing the amount of clinker in cement is a vital strategy for lowering carbon dioxide emissions because more than 50 percent of the emissions generated during cement production are intrinsically linked to the clinker-making process.12

These emissions are a direct by-product of the chemical reaction that occurs within the kiln when raw materials are burned at high temperatures to produce clinker. Because this process is a major contributor to global warming, researchers are focusing on developing novel cements and alternate formulations.12

By blending clinker with alternative materials—such as granulated blast-furnace slag or pozzolanic materials like fly ash, burned clays, and shales—manufacturers can reduce the total amount of clinker required. This substitution effectively lowers the climate impact of the final product by decreasing the volume of clinker that must be manufactured through the high-emission burning process.23