Post-combustion carbon capture in the cement industry: A critical review of its decarbonization potential

The cement industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for nearly 7% of global anthropogenic CO 2 emissions. As cement demand continues to rise, rapid and substantial emission reductions are imperative to keep global warming close to 2 °C by the end of the century. Extensive research over the past decade has explored multiple decarbonization pathways—including alternative low-carbon clinkers, process optimization, and the increased use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). Although such strategies offer meaningful reductions, their overall impact is constrained by limited material availability, performance challenges, slow commercialization rates, and the difficulties of scaling manufacturing solutions within established production pipelines. In this context, post-combustion carbon capture (PCC) has emerged as a particularly versatile and high-impact pathway for mitigating CO 2 emissions from both existing and new cement plants, offering a scalable and technologically compatible route to rapid emissions reduction. This review critically examines the CO 2 challenge in the cement sector and evaluates currently available mitigation strategies. The review subsequently elaborates on PCC as one of the fastest and most practical solutions by presenting its key technologies, contemporary applications, and associated limitations. Overall, the literature indicates that while PCC is considered among the more viable options, it still faces significant challenges that limit its large-scale deployment.