Cambridge Electric Cement

Cambridge Electric Cement (CEC) is a startup founded in 2022 as a spin-out from the University of Cambridge to commercialize a process for creating low-carbon, recycled cement. The academic co-founders, Professor Julian Allwood, Doctor Cyrille Dunant, and Doctor Pippa Horton, developed a method to produce cement with a potentially zero-carbon footprint. The inspiration for the process occurred when Dr. Dunant realized that the chemical composition of used cement is nearly identical to the lime-flux used in steel recycling.

The company's core technology integrates cement recycling into the steel recycling process. It starts with concrete waste from demolition, which is crushed to separate the used cement paste. This recovered cement paste is then used as a substitute for lime-flux in electric arc furnaces (EAFs) during steelmaking. As the scrap steel melts, the cement paste acts as a flux, creating a slag that, when cooled and ground, becomes a powder virtually identical to clinker, the key component of new Portland cement. This co-production process avoids the significant kiln-related energy use and calcination emissions typical of traditional cement manufacturing by leveraging the existing infrastructure and heat of EAFs.

The resulting product is designed to be a direct replacement for Portland Cement (CEM I), offering equivalent performance without the associated environmental impact. CEC is collaborating with a network of industrial partners, including AtkinsRéalis, Balfour Beatty, CELSA UK, Day Group, the Materials Processing Institute, and Tarmac, on the 'Cement 2 Zero' industrial demonstrator project to certify and commercialise the product. In July 2024, the company secured a £2.25 million seed funding round led by Zero Carbon Capital, with participation from Legal & General, Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, and others. This funding is intended to industrialize production at a partner's EAF facility, conduct real-world construction demonstrations, and secure offtake agreements with customers.

Keywords: cement recycling, low-carbon cement, electric arc furnace, decarbonization, sustainable construction, circular economy, cleantech, industrial decarbonization, Portland cement alternative, construction technology, recycled building materials, green cement, steel recycling, recovered cement paste, clinker substitute, sustainable infrastructure, construction materials innovation, zero-carbon construction, Cement 2 Zero, built environment